22 men honored with Carnegie Medal for heroism

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man who was killed saving a friend's 6-year-old daughter from drowning was one of 22 heroes awarded the Carnegie Medal on Thursday.

Jeffery Scott Dinkins, 41, of Lewisville, N.C., was with his own family and his friend's at Myrtle Beach, S.C., when the friend and his daughter were swept into deep water by a current. Dinkins swam out, got the girl from her father and headed towards shore but became exhausted and drowned after handing her over to his wife.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission said 9,633 people have been honored with the medal since 1904. Honorees at a ceremony in Pittsburgh received the medals and will also get financial grants.

All of this year's honorees are men. One is from Canada and the others from the United States.