Oklahoma Hero Honored

An Oklahoma hero will be honored after he saved a man from drowning last year. 31-year-old Michael Evans of Kellyville is one of 19 people who received the Carnegie Medal for heroism in Pennsylvania.

Thursday, May 3rd 2007, 6:00 am

By: News On 6

An Oklahoma hero will be honored after he saved a man from drowning last year. 31-year-old Michael Evans of Kellyville is one of 19 people who received the Carnegie Medal for heroism in Pennsylvania. Andrew Carnegie started the fund in 1904. Carnegie was inspired by rescue stories from a mine disaster that killed close to 200 people.

Now, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission has decided one Oklahoma hero also deserves the honor. Mike Evans is an electrician. Evans was working on a light pole at the Cherokee Casino when he saw a car crash into a nearby retention pond in February of last year. The driver, 72-year old Jack Bailey, blacked out and ran off the road. Evans dove into the freezing water to save Bailey.

The News On 6 was there when the pair was later reunited. And even at that time, Evans said he would do it all over again. To see a video clip of the 2/27/2006 accident rescue reunion, click here.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission gets word of possible recipients through news stories or tips from their website. To learn more about the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission and past recipients, go to www.carnegiehero.org.