Michigan Scout Honored For Saving Woman’s Life [Video]

A young man from Fruitport, near Muskegon, was honored for saving a woman’s life after a fiery crash.

Mychal VanAllsburg is an Eagle Scout - the highest achievement a Boy Scout can earn - and credits the skills and training he learned in scouting with knowing what to do when faced with an emergency.

In 2018, Mychal heard the sound of the accident and rushed to see what happened. He saw a pickup truck rolling over a curb and that driver getting out and another mangled four-door car in the street and ran to help that driver, who was stuck and crying for help.

He says he could smell the smoke and he worked to bend the doorframe down to get into the car so he could get the driver out. With help from someone else, they were able to lift the steering wheel and pull the driver out, just seconds before the car was engulfed in flames.

Earlier this month, Mychal was recognized for saving the driver with the Boy Scouts Of America Heroism Award. Making it even more special? The person who handed it to him was Jodie Matthews, the woman whose life he saved, and it was the first time they had been face-to-face since that day.

“I just saw an opportunity to help somebody that needed it,” he explains, “and I didn’t even think twice, I just went over and helped that lady.”

“To earn this honor, I mean…it’s a big deal,” Glen Selle, scout master of Troop 11 in Fruitport told FOX 17 News.

Mychal got to hug the woman he saved. He says her life is what's most important. Not his act of bravery.

“I was raised up 'you always help people when you can,'” Van Allsburg said.