3 Young Marine's receive life-saving awards after stepping up during an incident during National Cherry Festival

TRAVERSE CITY - During a ceremony at the ‘Michigan Army National Guard Armory’ in Traverse City, They were honored for the actions they took when a pedestrian was hit by a car on July 6th during the National Cherry Festival.

“Your first instinct is to move even when it’s coming towards you, even if it’s not on the sidewalk. But i think it was just move. Get people out of the way. Survival,” says YM/Pvt Wyatt Humphrey.

Wyatt Humphrey was with two of his friends from the young marines enjoying the national cherry festival when the unexpected happened. Their training in CPR and emergency situations gave them the confidence to step in and help.

“I looked around, I scanned my scene, make sure that like scene safety and make sure no one else was going to try to pull a gun or something. And afraid of that, I looked down. There was a guy sitting. I looked around. No one else was hurt, checked my friends, and I pointed down and I’m like, he’s the one that’s hurt,” explains YM/LCpl Patience Moore.

Because they stepped up, they were able to maneuver the crowd around the injured pedestrian preventing him from panicking. Humphrey then pushed both his friends out of the way saving their lives.

“I have a lot of a lot of care for my friends, a lot of care for my friends. And I just want to make sure they’re okay,” shares Humphrey.

Because of this he won the 1st Degree Lifesaving Award, the first one to be given to a Young Marine in Michigan

“I think what everybody forgets is that you can do it step by step instead of trying to be the greatest,” explains Humphrey.

Patience and Trevor Everson both were awarded 3rd Degree Lifesaving Awards for crowd-control, and Everson emphasizes the importance of speaking up.

“Just make sure you listen to the people around you. Like if someone got hurt right there, you would want to communicate with people,” says YM/Pvt Trevor Emerson.

Without their ability to protect themselves and the injured pedestrian. The outcome could’ve been different and they are happy they were able to lend a hand.

“It’s not about being known because i didn’t do it for the thing I didn’t do it for people to know who I am. I did it because I’m a kind soul and i want people to know that there is kind people,” shares Moore.