Carnegie Medal awarded Penn State 'hero' from Westmoreland County
Matt Emmerling doesn't consider himself a hero -- just lucky to be alive.
The Westmoreland County man, who suffered several skull fractures after being hit by a car in spring 2005, raced into a burning house in State College last year and helped rescue several Penn State students.
Emmerling, 23, of Allegheny Township, was one of 19 people who were awarded the Carnegie Medal of Heroism last month.
The award, which includes a bronze medal and $5,000 in cash, is presented by the nonprofit Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
Emmerling, who thinks it is a miracle that he was not killed or paralyzed in the car accident, believes God spared his life so that he could help others.
"I respect life a lot more now. It was a sign from God this happened," said Emmerling, who graduated from Penn State last month.
Emmerling said he knew he was nominated for the award but didn't expect to receive it. He, along with Kevin Mahoney, 22, a 2005 Penn State graduate from Erie who helped rescue those in the burning home, were interviewed by a member of the commission last June and again in December.
"It is a shock that I have received the Carnegie Medal," Emmerling said. "I didn't do this for the award, and I don't like to talk about it much. I was just in the right place at the right time."
Emmerling was walking home from a friend's apartment about 4:30 a.m. April 2, 2006, when he noticed smoke coming from an apartment house on West College Avenue.
The fire started on the back porch and quickly spread through the house, including the first-floor bedroom of Seth L. Mattleman, 20, then a junior at the school.
Emmerling and Mahoney ran into the house, filled with dense smoke, and shouted to awaken those asleep.
They entered Mattleman's room and shouted for him to leave, but he was disoriented.
Emmerling grabbed him about the arms and pulled him out of the house.
According to the Carnegie Commission, Emmerling ran back inside and helped Mahoney get at least one more man out. Mahoney found another disoriented man in a bathroom and pulled him to safety.
"I owe (Emmerling) my life," Mattleman told the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian, the day after the fire.
Mattleman and Mahoney suffered minor burns; Emmerling suffered from smoke inhalation. The house sustained extensive damage.
Emmerling said he plans to donate most of the $5,000 Carnegie Medal award to charity.
"It is a lot of money," Emmerling said. "I can't keep all of it. Once I receive it, I will plan out the donations."
