Vancouver Scout presented with Honor Medal for saving a boy from drowning, Portland Cub Scout Leader given National Medal of Merit
The Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America have presented a 12-year old Cub Scout and Cub Scout leader each with heroism awards at the annual Council Court of Honor.
Noah Gable Receives Honor Medal
When he was a 10-year old Cub Scout, Noah Gable was swimming while on a campout with his grandparents at Paradise Point State Park. Noah was wearing a lifejacket and was playing with another boy he met at a Lewis River swimming hole, Lucas Johnson. All of sudden, Lucas floated to an area of the river where he couldn’t touch bottom and couldn’t grab hold of the inner tube they were playing with. Noah saw Lucas was struggling to grab hold of the inner tube so Noah swam out to him to help. Noah says he remembered his Cub Scout training and tried to lure and help Lucas back into the inner tube. But Lucas couldn’t hang on to it. Noah decided to try to carry Lucas on his back and swim back to shore. Despite not being able to touch and being pulled underwater, witnesses say Noah kept calm and kept swimming to shore until an adult could reach them. Scouts BSA Troop 358.
For his bravery, Noah Gable was awarded the Honor Medal for saving a life during a water rescue. He is now 12 years old and enjoys Scouting with Scouts BSA Troop 358.
Dean Hildreth Receives National Medal of Merit
On the morning of December 11, 2019, Dean Hildreth was walking up to the entrance of the Albertina Kerr building in Portland, Oregon when he saw someone attending to Edna McLean, who was lying on the ground in the entryway. Dean stepped aside to give them room. The attendant yelled for help when they could not feel Edna’s pulse and she had stopped breathing. Dean quickly jumped into action, giving CPR. On his sixth attempt, she began breathing and her eyes opened. Dean and others comforted her until paramedics arrived and took Edna to the hospital.
It was Edna’s 90th birthday and she had come to Albertina Kerr to volunteer. Dean visited Edna in the hospital that weekend and they became dear friends until her passing a year later.
Edna said “ I owe my life to Dean Hildreth, to his knowledge of CPR, his quick action to being there at the exact moment he was needed. I am so thankful that he was an Eagle Scout and learned this so well.”
Edna’s daughter called Dean an “angel without wings.”
Hildreth attributed his quick action to what he learned as a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned the highest rank of Eagle Scout. Hildreth is currently a Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 256 in Portland, Oregon.
For his actions and service, Dean Hildreth has been awarded the National Medal of Merit from the Boy Scouts of America.
Dean & Edna became lifelong friends until her passing in 2020
