NJ Man Who Saved Assault Victim Up For Congressional Medal

A Burlington County man who saved a woman who was being sexually assaulted on the side of a highway last summer is up for a Congressional Medal of Honor, Cooper University Healthcare announced.

John Bishop, who saved a woman who was being assaulted on I-295 in June, is an employee at the hospital. He is one of 27 finalists for this year’s Citizen Honors Awards. From this group, six people and one organization will be recognized with an award.

Bishop was driving down Route 73 in Mount Laurel on June 6 of last year when he saw a man grab a woman and drag her into the woods off the side ramp of the road, according to New Jersey State Police.

Bishop stopped his car on the shoulder and went into the woods to help the woman, police said. As he approached the woods, he saw the two struggling and immediately intervened, police said.

The man was subsequently arrested by state police and charged in numerous sexual assault cases. Read more here: Good Samaritan Saves Woman From Sexual Assault On I-295: Police

Bishop, of Burlington Township, is a member of the Facilities Management Department at Cooper’s ambulatory facility in Voorhees, and has been an employee at Cooper for nearly 12 years, according to the hospital.

“Every day, Cooper employees save the lives of others, but what John did was over and above the call of duty,” Cooper co-president/CEO Anthony J. Mazzarelli said. “John is so deserving of this honor.”

“John is a true hero and deserving of this recognition. We are proud to call him a member of the Cooper family,” Cooper co-president/CEO Kevin O’Dowd said.

The Citizen Honors Awards recognize Americans whose exceptional courage and selfless service embody the values of the Medal of Honor: courage and sacrifice; commitment and integrity; citizenship and patriotism.

An independent panel of judges selected the finalists through two rounds of judging, with the final round exclusively of Medal of Honor recipients. More than 110 nominations from around the country were received for the awards.

Valor Award winners will be honored during a dinner in Washington, DC, on March 25, Congressional Medal of Honor Day. The Service Awards will be presented May 14 at The Belmond Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, SC.

The awards are presented by the living members of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Members of this group have received the Medal of Honor for their acts of valor performed during wartime and present the Citizen Honors awards to Americans who show courage and dedicate themselves to service at home.