DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds honored Iowans Wednesday who sprang into action to save the lives of fellow citizens.
The Governor’s Lifesaving Awards are presented to everyday citizens who have assisted in an emergency situation or attempted to save someone’s life. The award was founded in 1977 and this year was bestowed on four Iowans.
Reynolds said every year she has given out the awards, she has heard similar replies from recipients who say they “did what anyone else would have done.”
“Needless to say, that’s far too modest, but it does point to something special about Iowa,” Reynolds said during a ceremony at the Iowa Capitol. “The greatness of our state really does lie in our people.”
Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens introduced each of the Governor’s Lifesaving Award recipients with a brief explanation of their heroic actions.
Randy Hartley was presented with the Outstanding Service Award for his “quick response and decisive action” that helped to save a co-worker in Van Meter who had suffered a brain bleed.
Tyler Borneman, a teacher at Waterloo West High School, was awarded the Lifesaving Award for performing CPR on a co-worker who collapsed in what “would have been a near certain fatal event” during an off-season girl’s basketball practice.
Borneman said after the award ceremony, “it wasn’t just me” and named the rest of the coaching staff who intervened and called 911 that day.
“It takes a whole team to really make sure that when someone is down, to pick them back up,” Borneman said.
Borneman said that day “would have been a lot more traumatic if it didn’t work out the way it did,” and he feels he was meant to be there to do what he could.
“It’s the way I was raised, to step in when you see trouble,” Borneman said.
Evan Scheck was honored with the Lifesaving with Valor Award from the governor for braving rushing currents of the Little Sioux River to save two young boys who had been swept off a flooded bike path in Spencer.
A final Lifesaving with Valor award was presented to Joseph Salmon, who received the award in 2023, but due to a hunting accident, was unable to attend the ceremony. Salmon, then at the age of 17, plunged into a frozen East Okoboji Lake to rescue an elderly man and his dog from a vehicle that slid onto the lake and broke through the ice.
“His selfless actions on that cold winter day embody a spirit of heroism that is truly remarkable,” Bayens said.
Reynolds also presented the Sullivan Brothers’ Award of Valor to three officers from the Oelwein Police Department, who put their lives at risk by entering a smoke-filled apartment building, without the help of protective gear, to evacuate residents.
The officers recognized were Gage Voshell, William Ward and Codi Wurzer.
Reynolds was joined by Kelly Sullivan, a granddaughter of one of the five Sullivan brothers who served on the U.S.S. Juneau during World War II and after whom the award is named. Reynolds said the Sullivan brothers’ commitment to stay together and serve their country captures “something fundamental” about being a police officer or firefighter.
“These are deeply fraternal professions, united by a willingness to lay down one’s life for the sake of others,” Reynolds said. “There are people alive today, some of whom are in attendance, thanks to those who lived up to this high call.”
(Photo: Gov. Kim Reynolds presents Tyler Borneman, second from left, with the Governor’s Lifesaving Award at the State Capitol on Wednesday alongside Commissioner Stephan Bayens and Iowa State Patrol Colonel Nathan Fulk, right. Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
