EAGLE, ID — Tuesday night saw eight members of Scout Troop 77 in Eagle were honored with the Heroism Award for their efforts in saving a man's life in Hell's Canyon in May.
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- 8 members of Scout Troop 77 helped save the life of a hiker who fell in Hell's Canyon back in May.
- Tuesday night Troop 77 gathered at Eagle Hills Church for an award ceremony to honor these brave members with Heroism Award.
- Eric Valentine, the man they saved, was able to attend and re-tell the story of the miraculous rescue mission.
- Valentine believes this event was a huge step forward for scouting, saying that this is a prime example of its importance.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Hero scouts in Eagle. Good morning I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston.
A couple of weeks ago I spoke to members of Troop 77 out of Eagle about the miraculous rescue mission they found themselves a part of. On Tuesday night they were honored with the Heroism Award for their actions.
"As I was rolling down the hill I had no panic," said Valentine while giving a speech to a room full of scouts and families.
That is 80-year-old Eric Valentine. The man was saved by a group of Boy Scouts in Hell's Canyon after taking a big fall while hiking.
Valentine said, "I prayed, 'Lord, send me your angels', and he sent me Troop 77."
A few weeks ago I told you the story of the miraculous rescue mission members of Troop 77 took part in. They found Valentine on the side of the embankment, provided first aid, and kept him comfortable as they contacted responders.
Tuesday night those heroes were honored with the Heroism Award. One of the highest honors a scout can receive. Eight were given out at the ceremony.
"I'm grateful to be alive, but it's not my story. It's Troop 77's story. They are the ones who made the difference for me, it's their scout leaders who trained them as well as they were trained. So they are the future, and I'm just part of their scouting career," explained Valentine.
Valentine, a former scoutmaster himself, explained that this event was a sign of hope for scouting, highlighting the importance of it.
"The slogan is 'Do a good term daily', and historically we thought of the scouts taking an elderly woman across the street. In my case, they took an elderly man out of Hell's Canyon. We need scouting, and this certainly proves it," said Valentine.
Valentine summed up his encounter with Troop 77 with one simple message.
Valentine asked, "How many coincidences does it take to make a miracle?"
It seems there is no number to how many coincidences can lead to a miracle. Valentine says that this story is a testament to that message.
Reporting in Eagle, I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston, Idaho News 6.
