Star of Courage

• Awarded on: June 25, 1984
• Invested on: March 21, 1986

Late in the afternoon of 30 January 1983, Randolph Erickson saved a twelve and an eleven-year-old boy from a fiery death following a traffic accident in which a car collided with a pick-up truck and burst into flames. While motoring near Vermillon Bay, Mr. Erickson saw the burning vehicles, stopped and ran to the scene. On approaching he heard cries for help coming from the car. Ignoring his fears of an explosion and undaunted by the dense smoke and searing flames, Mr. Erickson opened the rear passenger door and found the two brothers on the floor. He pulled one boy out and dragged him away then returned inside the car to get the other. He attempted to reach another occupant but by that time the fire had engulfed the wreckage. Mr. Erickson sustained burns to his face and hands. Sadly, two adults and two boys perished in this accident. Had it not been for Mr. Erickson's courage, two more lives would surely have been lost.