City officials praise, honor heroic PFW golfers

Purdue University Fort Wayne golf team members Landon Smith and A.J. Agnew are usually described as spiritual, humble, respectful, and unpretentious. They are also heroes.

And now they have the documents to prove it.

Fort Wayne Fire Department Chief Eric Lahey presented the men with “Fire Chief Recognition Award” certificates and challenge coins on Wednesday afternoon during a Lutheran Life Fieldhouse ceremony before a small crowd that included Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker and assembled media members.

The award is presented to “fire department members, civilian or sworn, who go above and beyond, or provide an undeniable example of servant leadership.” Lahey instituted the honor recently, first awarding it to firefighter Erick Baker on July 22 for his extensive work with Erin’s House for Grieving Children.

And Agnew and Smith definitely represented servant leadership on Oct. 22 when they rescued a man experiencing medical difficulties that caused him to drive his car off St. Joe Center Road and into a nearby pond. As Smith was stopping the car, Agnew ran and jumped into the pond to reach the car before it could sink beneath the water. Smith joined in the rescue, and they pulled the lone man to safety.

“When I was told about what these two guys did, it’s an incredible story,” Lahey said. “It’s what we instill in our firefighters every day, that kind of selfless service to identify someone in need and help them, not even thinking about yourself, not thinking what harm can come to you, just jumping right in there and helping people and saving lives.”

Tucker followed by offering her own challenge coins and high praise.

“Hero to me is defined as you didn’t think about yourselves,” Tucker said. “You didn’t think about the danger that you could have put yourself in. You go out and do what needs to be done, regardless of what other people think.

“When we have heroes that do it because it is not a paid job and because it’s not anything that people expect from them, it means more. That you took the risk to help save an individual’s life, you actually speak to the values that the city of Fort Wayne has. This is what makes us so great, what makes us unique, because we are a community that cares for each other and that takes care of each other.”

Lahey and Tucker both joked they were attempting to immediately recruit Smith and Agnew to join the Fort Wayne Fire Department. Agnew is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, and Smith is a sophomore majoring in business.

Smith and Agnew didn’t learn the name of the man they rescued until a week or so later, when Garet Crosby, 91, called to thank them.

"I admire them for what they did,” Crosby said. “To be selfless like that and sacrifice their own safety to help a total stranger, what a fine impression I have of them. From talking to them, you could tell they are outstanding young men. I am very grateful to them, and things are back to normal now."

PFW Chancellor Ron Elsenbaumer, Kelley Hartley Hutton, director of athletics, and Billy King, golf coach, praised Smith and Agnew, saying they represent the quality of people on all of the Mastodon athletics teams.