COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) — Three Horry County Sheriff’s deputies earned 2015 Medal of Valor awards for saving a woman’s life during October’s historic flooding.
Lt. Scott Bower, Corrections Officer Donnell Hargrove, and Corrections Officer Jake Thompkins each received the honor at the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association Winter Conference on Thursday night.
Only 24 people received the honor this year across South Carolina, and it’s the first time since Sheriff Phillip Thompson took office
that one of his deputies have earned it.
According to a sheriff’s office press release, “On October 4, 2015, these three Officers put the lives of strangers above their own when they worked together to rescue and revive drowning victim.”RELATED: Officers save near drowning victim from Conway drainage pipe
The woman the three officers saved is Amber Lloyd, of Conway. Amber slipped in the swirling flood waters and was sucked into a drain pipe. When the officers were finally able to pull Amber from the drain, she was bluish purple with no sign of life, according to the sheriff’s office.
Amber’s rescuers immediately began CPR in attempts to save her life, and continued CPR until she showed a slight movement of her lips and eye movement. The heroic trio then carried Amber to the back of Lt. Bower’s personal pickup truck and drove her slowly to meet the ambulance and other rescue workers, who were unable to get to the scene where Amber was trapped in the drain pipe because of other vehicles blocking the road. Amber was transported to Conway Hospital where she received treatment and she was released three days later.
Sheriff Thompson presented each of the men with their medals at the ceremony in Columbia.
