Rare Carnegie Medal for Lifesaving Awarded to College Swimmer Marena Kouba for Rescuing Drowning Kids

A college swimmer from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota has been awarded a rare Carnegie Medal for Lifesaving, a national award given to civilians who have done acts of heroism.

Marena Kouba, who has reaped honors for her school at various college swimming competitions for many years, clinched another pride for herself and her community when she rescued an uncle who was swimming with his nephew, 10, and niece, 11, at the Little Presque Island in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Kouba was with her boyfriend, Dayton, to relax and escape the lockdown in July 2020 when they spotted the children. She initially thought that the kids and their uncle, Eric Benac, were laughing in the water, but Dayton said they should check it out because it seemed like the trio was screaming for help.

Speaking with CBS Local Minnesota, Kouba said that she dove into the water without any second thought after seeing that the family could not handle the current and was getting sucked underneath.

A Life-or-Death Situation

Kouba said that she got to the uncle first, who was panic-stricken. She assured him that they would still be able to save the kids. However, the college swimmer realized that this was a life-or-death situation and that she needed to act fast.

Thankfully, the swimmer was able to reach the two kids. The boy was crying and was sure he was going to die. While Kouba had no lifeguard training, despite being an expert swimming athlete, her years of swimming school training as a young child kicked something in her to help them out of the current.

Benac said that Kouba "appeared out of nowhere" and was fast in saving him, his niece, and his nephew. They were all taken to the hospital but were released without any health risks.

"I will never forget her saving me, doing that," Benac said. "She risked her own life to save people she didn't know, strangers."

According to the Carnegie Hero Fund, Kouba was calm when she instructed the kids to hold each other tightly and swim with one arm. After the uncle and the kids were safely on the shore, Kouba sought assistance from the passersby.

Her swim coach, Jeff Hegle, said that Kouba's award is a testament to her expert swimming skills and her depth of character. Aside from the medal, she also received monetary recognition.

What is this Rare Carnegie Medal?

Philanthropist and steelmaker Andrew Carnegie created the special award and the Carnegie Hero Fund in 1904, following a coal mine disaster in his hometown of Pittsburgh. However, Carnegie has given many private recognitions to other civilian heroes even before this disaster. He wanted to highlight the good deeds of human beings.

According to ABC 12, most of the awardees succumb during their rescue efforts; thus, it is quite rare that Kouba was able to accept her award personally. The first hero recognized by Carnegie decades ago, William Hunter, did not survive.