Brian Patterson

On July 8, 2022, Brian Patterson, a retired soldier and LifeStar mechanic from Ludowici, Georgia, was driving with his son when a collision ahead set two vehicles on fire. Patterson pulled over, learned an 11-year-old girl named Alexa Tschantz was still trapped in the burning back seat, and ran to the vehicle to pull her out. Alexa survived. Patterson's son Ethan stayed calm, called 911, and helped direct traffic until emergency personnel arrived. In April 2026, the Carnegie Hero Fund awarded Patterson the Carnegie Medal for Heroism — one of only 18 recipients in the United States and Canada that year.