|
Click here to see photos
Boy Scouts of America, Troop 32 in Dickinson is proud to announce that one
of its members, Layne Gabbert of Beulah, was awarded the Heroism Award from the
Boy Scouts of America National Court of Honor for saving the life of another
individual.
This heroic event happened last fall on the waters of Lake
Tschida. Troop 32 had planned a weekend outing at the Boy Scout Reservation at
Lake Tschida and had just finished lunch. Layne and his friend, Noah Neuberger
also of Beulah, had gotten permission to take canoes out on the water to do some
fishing. They had decided to take two canoes out as they wanted to do some
fishing and felt that the two canoes lashed together would make a more stable
platform for fishing.
As Layne and his friend rounded the point of the bay where they had launched
their canoes, they noticed a shape in the middle of the lake and wondered what
it was. Intrigued by curiosity they decided to paddle out to the object, only to
find that it was a capsized sailboat and that its captain, Mr. Louis Hafermehl
of Bismarck was struggling to right the boat and stay afloat. Layne noticed that
Mr. Hafermehl was very exhausted and was somewhat combative when he asked him to
get into the canoe. Knowing that his combativeness was a sign of hypothermia,
Layne wasted no time in physically pulling Mr. Hafermehl into the canoe.
Layne realized that due to the cold air temperature of only fifty-one degrees,
combined with the cold water temperature of about fifty five degrees, Mr.
Hafermehl was very near severe hypothermia. Layne promptly removed Mr.
Hafermehl’s wet shirts and quickly took whatever clothing he and his friend
could spare and put them on Mr. Hafermehl. Noticing that he was becoming
semi-incoherent the boys continued to talk to Mr. Hafermehl until they were near
shore where they were met by the adult leaders of the Troop who had put a motor
boat in the water to assist them.
Once on shore, the adult leaders, Dale & Paulette Hofer and Barry Meduna, along
with a couple from Bismarck, Wellde and Mary Jean Heinle, who is a nurse that
were out sightseeing provided the necessary first aid to Mr. Hafermehl and
prevented him from going into shock or a hypothermic coma.
Thanks in part to Layne’s efforts, Mr. Hafermehl is alive today. As stated by
Mr. Hafermehl, “If it were not for Layne and his rescuing me from the cold water
that day, I most certainly would not have survived.”
Layne received the Heroism Award at the Roughrider District's recent Spring
Camp-o-ree held at Lake Tschida. In attendance were over one hundred scouts and
adult leaders for the Roughrider District as well as the victim, Mr. Hafermehl,
the sightseeing couple, Wellde and Mary Jean Heinle, District Scout Director,
Breck Dokken, Roughrider District Committee Chairperson, Deb Nelson, Layne's
parents, Dr. Lanny and Linda Gabbert, and his sister Lorin.
Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge Photos
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
