Alabama man among 23 honored by Carnegie Hero Fund commission

Thursday, March 1st 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PITTSBURGH - An Alabama man who helped rescue an unconscious pregnant woman from her runaway sport utility vehicle two years ago is among 23 people being honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

Jerod Shane Wilson had noticed that Kara L. Roberts' vehicle was out of control, so he veered in front of it to try to slow it down. The maneuver worked, but the momentum carried his car into the guard rail on the side of the road.

A third driver then positioned his loaded delivery truck in front of the two vehicles to brace the collision.

Roberts escaped injury and doctors at the hospital discovered she was pregnant. Wilson was hospitalized with neck, back and hip injuries and had trouble walking for about a month.

People from 12 states and four Canadian provinces were to be honored Thursday.

``This is the most amazing thing that's happened to me,'' Wilson said. ``To be honored with this award, I do not have any words for this.''

Another recipient, Linda Robb of Ohio, came to the rescue of about 20 sixth-graders and one adult when she defused a hostage situation at a Lisbon, Ohio, school in March 2000. She persuaded a 12-year-old boy to hand over a loaded 9mm handgun he had brought to school.

Several of the other honorees had rescued people from drowning, or had pulled people out of fires.

The fund was started in 1904 by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie after he was inspired by rescue stories from a mine disaster. Honorees or their survivors each receive $3,500 and a bronze medal.