Boy Scout Saves His Leader’s Life In Rough Rapids
A teenage Boy Scout has earned an award given fewer than 300 times in the history of the Boy Scouts after saving his scout leader from drowning in rapids.
Devon Champenoy was one of several teen scouts from Houston rafting down class 3 rapids at a summer camp in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
His Scout leader, David Lemley, fell in the rapids and his foot was stuck under the seat of the raft while his head and torso were underwater. Splayed out across the side of the raft, unable to move, his opportunities to breathe came only when the water level happened to be low enough that his head emerged.
Meanwhile, his helmet bought him vital time as his head bounced off rocks as the raft surged down river. At just 13 years old at the time, Devon clambered across and released David’s foot before kayakers helped complete the rescue.
“I have no doubt that if Devon hadn’t released my foot I was going to die.” David’s foot was broken and there was still 20 minutes left of rapids to get through, so Devon had to take over keeping everyone calm and pilot the rest of the way!
He was just awarded the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms…an honor only given less than 300 times in the history of the Boy Scouts.