Buffalo Grove Man Gets Nod from Governor for Heroic Actions

This past week, Gov. Bruce Rauner honored a Buffalo Grove man who is credited with saving a teenage boy from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean in July 2015.

On Thursday, Gov. Rauner met with Duncan O.C. Harris and declared Feb. 23, 2017, Duncan O.C. Harris Day in Illinois, according to a news release.

Harris earned a Carnegie Medal for heroism for his brave actions in 2015. Harris was vacationing in North Carolina when he heard a boy’s cry for help coming from the ocean. Along with another bystander, Harris swam 450 feet into the Atlantic Ocean and successfully saved the 13-year-old boy.

“Duncan did not hesitate for a minute in putting his own life in danger in order to save this boy’s life,” Rauner said. “His brave and courageous actions reflect the very best of the people of Illinois, and we are proud to call him one of our own.”

• A video of Thursday’s award ceremony can be found here.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission was established in 1904 to recognize individuals who perform acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, as well as providing financial assistance for dependents of those killed helping others. The Commission has awarded 9,914 heroes, and Harris was one of 21 heroes honored in December.

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