January 5, 2004

East Lansing - Michigan State Police Director Colonel Tadarial J. Sturdivant is pleased to announce that Trooper Harold Terry of the Flint Post has been awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission was established in 1904 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to recognize acts of outstanding heroism throughout the United States and Canada. The bronze medal is given to persons who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

On July 29, 2002, Terry and Trooper Bradley Ross responded to a call at a burning residence where a child was trapped inside. Upon arrival, they observed the residence fully engulfed in flames and were informed that an eight-year old child was trapped in the basement.

Terry broke a basement window in an attempt to locate the child, but there was too much smoke to see. Ross then lowered Terry through the window where he tried to use a flashlight to find the child, but dense smoke limited his visibility to less than a foot. Terry then used the sound of the child crying to eventually locate him, about 12 feet into the basement. Terry then crawled back to the window and handed the child to Ross before exiting the burning residence.

Terry joined the department in 1998. He is a graduate of the 116^th Recruit School and has been assigned to the Flint Post since graduation. Terry was awarded the Michigan State Police Bravery Award for this same incident in May 2003. He is also the recipient of two Michigan State Police Lifesaving Awards for other incidents.

Terry is one of 98 persons to receive the Carnegie Medal in 2003. A total of 8,764 people have been awarded this honor since its inception. Awardees receive a grant of $3,500.