Southern Minnesota Hero Honored Nationally For Amazing Rescue

Pittsburgh, PA (KROC-AM News) -  A southern Minnesota man is receiving national recognition for an act of heroism.

Dalton Grose of Waterville has been named one of the 18 recipients this year of the Carnegie Medal for heroism. The honor is awarded annually by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. The organization's website says the recipients "must be a civilian who voluntarily risks death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the life of another person."

Grose is being honored for his actions on September 20, 2023 when he saved the life of an 85-year-old man. According to a news release, Dwight Weise was driving a truck that went over a retaining wall and crashed into Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. The vehicle was sinking in 7 foot deep water when Grose sprang into action.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission says the 25-year-old Waterville man was in a boat and witnessed the incident. After bringing the boat closer to the sinking truck, Grose jumped into the water fully clothed and swam over to the vehicle.

The news release indicates his attempts to open the door to the truck were being thwarted by the water pressure, but he eventually positioned his feet against the side of the truck and "in a motion akin to a dead lift, he extended his legs while pulling on the door handle, successfully opening the door."

The description of the rescue indicates it became even more harrowing after that. The narrative says Grose was able to pull the elderly man out of the truck, but the two of them quickly sank to the bottom of a lake. The Carnegie organization says Grose then pushed off the bottom of the lakebed and "took three bounding steps while cradling Weise - submerging and resurfacing with each step - until he reached wadable water up to his chin."

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At that point, the news release says Grose was able to carry the man to a ladder that was attached to a dock and a bystander helped pull Weise out of the lake. Following the rescue, Grose swam back to his boat.

According to the statement, Weise was disoriented but came away from the ordeal without any injuries.

Each recipient of the Carnegie Medal for Heroism receives a financial grant.