By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Eight-year-old Conner Beck was an unlikely hero. He’s a little guy, who’s not much for words. But earlier this year, Conner was big on action at a time when it really counted.
Conner and his dad, Aaron Beck, were on their way home to Bradner after attending a BGSU hockey game in February. It was dark, around 9:30 p.m., when his father started slowing down on U.S. 6. He told Conner, who was sitting in the back seat, that he didn’t feel well and was going to pull over.
But as he was in the process, Beck blacked out due to intense abdominal pain, and went left of center into a ravine just past the Luckey Farmers site on Route 6. The pickup truck then went up out of the ravine and landed on the railroad tracks about 30 feet from the roadway.
Though scared and unsure what was happening, Conner unhooked his seatbelt and crawled to the front of the pickup. He turned on the emergency strobe lights, which he had seen his dad do many times in his role as a Bradner firefighter and EMT.
The father and son located Beck’s cell phone, and called 911. His father was unable to talk, so Conner told the sheriff’s dispatcher exactly where the truck was and asked that they send Bradner EMS. The dispatcher called CSX to stop trains heading that way, and Conner convinced his dad that he needed to get out of the truck since it was sitting on the tracks.
Then Conner walked to the edge of Route 6 and waved his arms to try to get help for his dad. Motorists honked their horns, but no one stopped to help.
Bradner EMS arrived on the scene and took Beck to Wood County Hospital, where he remained for three days. Since then, the father has listened to his son’s 911 call to the dispatcher. “It was pretty intense,” he said.
Beck remembers little from that night. “I could hear him screaming,” the father said. He remembers Conner getting him away from the railroad tracks and taking care of him until help arrived.
Cub Scout campfire ceremony honoring Conner for his heroic act
Conner, now 9 and a third grader at Lakota, was honored Saturday evening during a Cub Scout camping event on the grounds of the Wood County Historical Center. According to Kathy Bomer, scouting district advancement and awards chairman, the Boy Scouts have four awards for heroic actions. Conner was bestowed with the second highest honor, she said.
“He risked his life,” Bomer said of Conner trying to flag down help on Route 6 on the dark winter night. “Not one person stopped. All they did was beep at him. He could have become a victim himself.”
Tammy Stahl, cubmaster of Conner’s scout pack, said the boy put into action skills he had learned from his father’s role on the fire department, and from his experience in scouting.
“He remained pretty calm the whole time,” Stahl said.
Conner, again in his quiet way, stood in front of more than 100 Cub Scouts at the campfire ceremony Saturday and accepted the scouting medal pinned onto his uniform by his dad.
“This is important and I want to make sure the kids know,” Bomer said.
The award plaque credited Conner for “unusual heroism in saving or attempting to save life at considerable risk to self.”
