DRAPER — A commendable act of bravery was recognized on August 4, when a Utah Air National Guard member was awarded a distinguished medal for his heroic rescue of two individuals from a near-drowning incident at a South Carolina beach last year.
Airman Jacob Teel, who was serving with an air control squadron in South Carolina, was on a leave of absence in May 2023. He was spending his day at the beach in the coastal town of Isle of Palms when he found himself in the midst of a life-threatening situation, as per the details shared by the Utah National Guard in a press release.
Chaos ensued on the beach when cries for help echoed, as two swimmers were seen being swept away by the ocean currents, battling to keep their heads above water.
“Teel, despite not being a confident swimmer, didn’t think twice before jumping into the water. Battling fatigue and the risk of swallowing seawater, he managed to reach the struggling duo. He secured them on a board and navigated them safely back to the shore,” the press release stated.
Rebecca Bennett, who was on a vacation with her four children at Isle of Palms, witnessed her 13-year-old son being dragged away by the ocean. She grabbed a bodyboard in an attempt to save him, but the strong currents soon overpowered them.
Recounting the terrifying incident to a National Guard member, Bennett said, “I had resigned to the fact that this was where we were going to die, and a strange sense of calmness enveloped me. But then my son expressed his fear of dying, and it reminded me of my other three children waiting on the beach. I couldn’t abandon them. We started praying for help and, just then, a wave receded, revealing Jacob on the beach. I knew we were going to be okay.”
Teel sprang into action, rushing into the water. He managed to grab Bennett’s bodyboard and swam them back to safety.
“After surviving that near-death experience, I look at my daughter Faith, who has special needs, and realize how close I came to not being there for her,” Bennett said, as quoted in the release. “I’m grateful every day for Jacob Teel. He’s a hero in our household.”
In a ceremony held on August 4, Teel was honored with the Airman’s Medal — a prestigious award bestowed upon those serving with the U.S. Air Force who “have distinguished themselves by a heroic act, usually at the voluntary risk of their life but not involving actual combat,” as per the Air Force’s definition.
“It’s not a common occurrence for a deployed individual to step completely out of their military role and into an unfamiliar situation to save others’ lives,” said Adjutant General Daniel Boyack, who assumed command of the Utah National Guard in August 2023.
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