Venerable heroism.

In 1904, industrialist Andrew Carnegie established the Carnegie Hero Fund to honor individuals who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving (or attempting to save) the lives of others. To date 8,749 persons have received the coveted bronze Carnegie Medal, including 17 announced by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission on September 25th. Included among the recent honorees was Carolyn Kelly of Shreveport, Louisiana, who at age 82 is the oldest medal recipient ever.

On September 1, 2002, the retired medical technician (who was then 81) heard an automobile splash into a pond at the retirement village where she lives. Nina Hutchinson, 83, a passenger in the vehicle and a village resident, was able to get out of the car as it began sinking in 11 feet of water about 50 feet from the bank. But she then began struggling to stay afloat.

Carolyn Kelly first called 911, then rushed to the pond, jumped in, and swam to Hutchinson. Grasping the nearly exhausted woman, she swam to the partially submerged car, grabbed hold of it, and kept Hutchinson's head above water until rescue personnel arrived. One member of the rescue team swam to the car and returned Hutchinson to the bank while Kelly followed. Hutchinson was hospitalized, but died the next day.

Learning that she had been selected to receive a Carnegie Medal (and the $3,500 cash award that accompanies it), Kelly told the Associated Press: "I'm surprised that nobody my age has gotten the award before." After all, "There are a lot of people my age that are very active."