2 Missouri Boy Scouts honored after saving woman from floodwaters
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Boy Scouts’ motto is “Be Prepared.” When founder Robert Baden-Powell was asked what Scouts should be prepared for, he responded, “Why, for any old thing.”
That motto was executed perfectly by two Boy Scouts in Missouri, who rescued a woman who was caught in floodwaters last month. On Wednesday, Joseph Diener, 16, and Dominic Viet, 15, were honored by the Columbia Fire Department, Columbia Police Department and Missouri Department of Public Safety, KOMU reported.
The two teens were riding their bicycles after a storm in Columbia on June 25 and heard a woman yelling for help, the television station reported.
“We were just going on a bike ride on the part of the park that wasn’t flooded,” Viet told the Missourian of Columbia. “We heard someone screaming.”
According to Columbia Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Jenkins, the 18-year-old became distressed while voluntarily swimming in the floodwaters of Hinkson Creek, the newspaper reported. She was hanging on to a partially submerged post and was unable to swim to safety.
“The person had entered the water to swim, to the best of our knowledge,” Jenkins told “Today.” “These two young Boy Scouts come by and heard the distress calls.
“For two 15- and 16-year-olds to react that way, it was very heroic.”
“I did not even think about it, I jumped in the water,” Diener told KOMU. “I knew her life was at risk and I knew what to do, so I did not think twice and jumped. While Dominic was taking off (his) shoes, I got inside the water.”
The boys had to fight through a current and about 6 to 7 feet of water, according to the Missourian. The woman was able to grab onto their shoulders, and the boys brought her to safety, the newspaper reported.
“When we got there the woman was in bad shape, I think she was there but about 10 minutes,” Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Brad Frazier told KOMU. “What they did is really amazing, they saved a life that day.”
The families of both boys are proud of the rescue effort but were also concerned after hearing about it.
“(Joseph) told me by phone, and at first, I did not believe him,” Jeremy Diener told KOMU. “He was at a friend’s house when he told me, and when I went to pick him up, both boys explained what happened.”
“You know, my mind went to the place where (Dominic) was the one who was injured,” Monica Viet told “Today.” “I didn’t realize that he was out there saving somebody!”
Monica Viet said she later received a text from her son, who wrote, “Mom, I just saved a woman’s life.”
Both teens believe their bravery will help the Boy Scouts mend their reputation. Last week, the Boy Scouts of America reached an agreement with attorneys representing victims of child sex abuse, doubling its initial offer of compensation to $850 million.
“In the past, there was some bad stuff about the Boy Scouts,” Joseph Diener told KOMU. “Hopefully, this situation will change people’s minds,” Diener said.
Scoutmaster Morgan Dailey of Troop 6, said both teens have their swimming and lifesaving merit badges, the Missourian reported.
“A big thing in scouting is being prepared,” Dailey told the newspaper. “They were prepared.”
