Morning Journal/Mary Ann Greier From left, Carnegie Hero Fund Commission President and Secretary Eric Zahren, Salem resident Melinda Wilms, Sixth District U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson and Salem Mayor John Berlin pose for a photo with the Carnegie Medal awarded to Wilms as one of the commission’s newest heroes. The medal ceremony took place at Salem City Hall with family and friends.

SALEM — Look out for each other, be kind, be respectful — humbling words from a humble Carnegie Hero.

Salem resident Melinda Wilms still doesn’t think of herself as a hero.

She said Monday that she’s “still very humbled, and honored.”

When she spoke briefly in council chambers after receiving the Carnegie Medal on what was dubbed Melinda Wilms Day in her hometown of Salem, her focus remained on the boy she saved from drowning on July 29, 2019 at Mosquito Lake in Cortland. She still thinks about him and said she hopes he has a good life.

That’s what she wants for everybody — kindness, respect and altruism — for people to care for one another.

According to Carnegie Hero Fund Commission President and Secretary Eric Zahren, that’s the definition of a hero.

He’s been personally awarding the Carnegie Medal to heroes from every walk of life, race and background for several years now.

“What they have in common is they made that moral choice,” he said.

The Carnegie Medal isn’t a life saving award or a lifetime achievement award, he said. The stories of the heroes, many who died while trying to save a stranger, are all life and death situations.

He said it’s the best and the worst and puts all those involved in a difficult position. He said it requires a very important choice that affects lives.

“We honor and recognize the moral choice that is made by the rescuer,” Zahren said.

The commission only gives awards to 10 percent of the nominees and of those who are honored as Carnegie Heroes, 20 percent are recognized posthumously.

Zahren traveled to Salem to award the Carnegie Medal to Wilms in front of her family and friends, including her parents Virginia and Melvin Wilms, sisters Gert Wilms and Tricia Jackson, nephews Tyson Jackson, 11, and Tegan Jackson, 9, and best friend Carol Headland.

Wilms was with her sister Tricia and her nephews that tragic day at the lake when several kids were playing with a soccer ball and a 12-year-old boy who chased the ball into deeper water started struggling.

Christine Beheler, a stay-at-home mom from Niles, had brought the children to the lake and swam out to the boy, who was panicking and submerged her as she tried to help. Mark Krempasky, a police sergeant, and Wilms both responded and Wilms was able to extend a pool noodle to the boy and talk to him, towing him to shore. Krempasky tried to help Beheler, who perished. Both Beheler and Krempasky were honored as Carnegie Heroes for their efforts that day.

“I’m grateful we were there. My sister responded very quickly,” Tricia said.

When asked about the award, she said “this is amazing. Very deserving.”

Virginia and Melvin said they were very proud, too.

The back of the medal includes the name of the recipient, a short description of what they did, and the date of the life-altering event, along with a quote from John 15:13 that says: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Pittsburgh philanthropist Andrew Carnegie started the hero award in 1904 after a mining disaster, to recognize the everyday heroes, the folks who don’t have to run headlong into danger, but do anyway, risking their lives for strangers.

Sixth District U.S. Representative Bill Johnson attended the ceremony and presented a U.S. House of Representatives proclamation, telling Wilms “your character serves as an example to many.”

Johnson talked about how certain events in our lives stand out and that for Melinda, the day at the lake will be something she remembers for the rest of her life. He said it takes a special person to put themselves in total disregard the way she did.

“Today, we honor a true local hero,” he said.

Salem Mayor John Berlin also read from a proclamation declaring Monday as Melinda Wilms Day, noting that she’s a Salem product, a graduate of Salem High School who served as a lifeguard at Centennial Pool and also during college.

“After several years of living out of state, we are very pleased to have her back home in Salem,” he said.

Wilms serves as a special education teacher and intervention specialist with Akron City Schools. She actually skipped the first day back to school for teachers to receive the award.

When the students return to school, she’ll have something special for show and tell. She also receives a monetary award as part of the honor, which she said earlier this year that she’ll donate.

mgreier@salemnews.net