Ohio TV Photojournalist Honored For Life-Saving Effort

 

URBANA, OH (October 29, 2008) – WDTN-TV photographer Don Hatcher has been given the inaugural Citizen Life Saving Award from the Urbana City Council for the role he played in saving the life of a traffic accident victim in January.

The Urbana Fire Division recognized Hatcher, a videographer for NBC-affiliate Channel 2 in Dayton, for his actions at the scene of a crash on U.S. 68 south. When Hatcher was one of the first to arrive at the scene of a crash and realized that the driver of one of the vehicles, Denny Howell, was not breathing, firefighters say that Hatcher "gently lifted Howell's head, opening his airway."

"We believe that simple act saved the life of Mr. Howell," fire captain Mark Keller told those gathered to watch Hatcher receive the award.

The Dayton Daily News reports that Howell, who is still recovering from his injuries and who was helped by his daughters to stand from his wheelchair to speak, told the group, "I can't say how much I appreciate the fact that they did everything they could to help me."

 

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