Harmon receives award for his valor
A CEU student takes photos for The Eagle, on Ballet Co., a Yell Leader and still finds time to save a young girl from dying in rollover on his way to Las Vegas to visit his parents a few months ago. It was because of his saving a young girl on that one trip that BJ Harmon received from the state of Utah a Citizen Commendation Medal on November 7 at Thanksgiving Point.
This archived article was written by: Gypsie Delgado
A CEU student takes photos for The Eagle, on Ballet Co., a Yell Leader and still finds time to save a young girl from dying in rollover on his way to Las Vegas to visit his parents a few months ago. It was because of his saving a young girl on that one trip that BJ Harmon received from the state of Utah a Citizen Commendation Medal on November 7 at Thanksgiving Point.
Harmon was nominated by Phil Johnson and chosen to receive the medal by the State of Utah Department of Public Safety for his efforts in saving a young girl’s life. Approximately 650 attendees witnessed Harmon receiving the award at the ceremony. “My mom and dad who live in Iowa now, grandparents, brother Jonas and girl friend Rashelle Steadman, CEU police officer James Prettyman and his wife all came to the ceremony … It made me feel bigger than I am,” stated Harmon.
“They had me come on stage, then they explained why I was getting the award. They had me stand for pictures with the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety and the Deputy of the Commissioner of Public Safety. The ceremony only occurs once a year and four others received the award. You have to be nominated then voted upon.
“My dad surprised me and showed up from Iowa, I had no idea he was coming. He showed up at the doors, it was pretty cool,” he added.
The award was given to Harmon because of his heroic efforts of saving a young girl. He and his friend, Jason Bogenschutz, were on their way to see BJ’s family in September when they got 10-15 miles out of Beaver on I-15 and saw a rolled over white van. Harmon stopped only to find a young girl not breathing. B.J. is a certified EMT who took charge of the situation by inserting an air tube into the girl’s throat, thus saving her life. “The doctor later came out and told me that if I hadn’t been there and she wouldn’t have got that airway, she would have died,” said Harmon.
Harmon plans on a career in athletic training and continuing to further his education in the EMS field. As for the young girl she is still recovering from plastic surgery and appears to be doing well.
