Heroes honored during downtown service

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Heroic service members, civilians and police officers gathered at Central Middle School Sept. 9, as the city and state government honored their actions in assisting with the rescue of four people from a plane crash near Merrill Field June 2.

Gov. Sean Parnell and Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan presented awards to four service members and more than 30 civilians who jumped into action and put themselves in harm's way even when they were off duty. Chief Mark Mew, chief of the Anchorage Police Department, presented awards to seven police officers who were the first responders that assisted with the rescue.

Army Lt. Col. Peter Savage, and U.S. Air Force members, Capt. Erik Boltman, 176th Air Control Squadron, Staff Sgt. Jacob Gibson, 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron and Airman Spencer Stringer, 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, were all acknowledged for their actions during the rescue.

"I'm really happy that everyone was thanked all at once," Gibson said.

"You get to see how many people were actually involved and how we all depended on each other to rescue the survivors."

The Cessna 206 aircraft, carrying five passengers, crashed into a business district near Merrill Field. Seconds after the crash, bystanders rushed to the scene and worked together to rescue the survivors.

The passengers, Preston Cavner, Stacie Cavner, Hudson Cavner and Rachel Zientek were left with severe burns. Four-year-old Miles Cavner, was killed in the crash.

"Some of the details are still vivid, good and bad," Gibson said. "But overall I feel really proud when I think about how everyone reacted when seconds counted the most."

All of the service members arrived on scene at the same time as the first responders and immediately started looking for survivors and finding ways to get them out of the aircraft. Whether it was actually being part of the extraction or holding up a wing so that people could pull out the survivors, everyone played a key part in this heroic act of selfless service, officials said.

When asked what he is going to do with his award, Gibson responded, "I have a few pictures of Rachel Zientek at the hospital and dancing after the accident, I'll probably hang it up with them."

A special video made by survivor Rachel Zientek with photos of her recovery was played at the end of the ceremony. She thanked all those that helped during the incident and reassured everyone involved that she was healing and getting better.

"I trust the man upstairs more now, (I) feel that God will put you where you need to be", Gibson said.