Hayti man awarded Carnegie Medal for heroic act

A Hayti man has been recognized by The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for risking his life to save another.

In 2017, Christopher Schafer helped save 16-year-old Colt Brink from a burning semi in Blunt.

Brink was semi-conscious and partly buried by wheat grain inside the cab after it collided with a train at a crossing.

Schafer drove up on the accident and went to the truck. He briefly fought flames with a fire extinguisher.

Schafer and another person were able to get the door open, and pull Brink from the cab, moments before the cab was engulfed in flames.

Colt spent two weeks in the hospital recovering from injuries he sustained in the crash, but he was not burned and made a full recovery.

Schafer is one of 19 people honored this year. Each honoree will receive a financial grant.

Since the inception of the program in 1904, more than 10,000 Carnegie Medals have been awarded, and more than $40 million in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits and continuing assistance.