Scout receives rare honor for role in saving two boys

When Huntington Beach native Ian Casson helped save the lives of two boys, he never expected to receive recognition for it, let alone one of the rarest medals in Scouting. But on Sunday evening, dozens of people gathered at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Huntington Beach to see him honored for his heroism.

Casson received an Eagle Scout rank and the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms, the Boy Scouts’ most prestigious heroism award.

The medal is given to those who put themselves at extreme risk to save others. In June 2012, when Casson was 15, he helped adult leaders rescue two Scouts who were trapped beneath a 200-foot waterfall on the Havasupai Reservation at Grand Canyon National Park. Today, the 18-year-old is a student at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.

“Receiving this medal is a tremendous honor,” Casson said. “It’s an incredible feeling to know that I am being honored as highly as this.

“But I didn’t do this for an award,” the former Huntington Beach junior lifeguard added. “I did this because I heard that there were two people that needed help and I knew that I could help them. I think that anyone who has the skill set to do anything for somebody else should do that.”

Casson’s Scout leaders praised his ability to take direction and his willingness to help others.

“I have known him since 2008,” said former assistant Scout leader Steve Vasquez. “To watch him grow and achieve this rank is a major achievement. But then to hear he earned his Honor Medal with Cross Palms is just amazing. So it’s been a real honor to work with him. Someone like Ian is very rare. There is a lot of great young men, but to find one who is willing to risk their own life is very rare.”

Huntington Beach City Councilman Erik Peterson spoke of the character exemplified in Casson’s actions.

“It’s selfless and it’s courageous,” Peterson said. “And it’s what we try to instill to Scouts – service to others. Most of our Scouting revolves around giving back. You know you’re a leader and you give back to society and to the community.

“And this is one of those selfless acts that Scouting is based on. It’s more than just you, it’s everyone around you. It’s an honor to come out and give this award to someone like Ian. This young man went the extra mile for that award.”

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) presented Casson with an American flag that was flown over the Capitol in his honor.

The Honor Medal with Crossed Palms has been awarded fewer than 300 times since 1924. A binder filled with letters from high-ranking officials such as Secretary of State John Kerry and former President George H.W. Bush indicated how special the accomplishment is.

During Casson’s brief speech, he thanked his family, friends and Scout leaders for their love and guidance.

He became visibly emotional as he recounted a reporter posing a question to him that caused him to analyze his lifesaving action.

“He asked me, ‘Did you ever doubt yourself?’” Casson said, pausing. “No, I didn’t. I really didn’t.”

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Recounting rescue

Here is an excerpt of an account Ian Casson gave the Boy Scouts of the rescue of two Scouts from a narrow ledge beneath a Grand Canyon waterfall in 2012:

“As I had skills that could be of use (six years of junior lifeguards in Huntington Beach), I grabbed the rope my troop had and with two adult leaders rapidly made our way down to the base of the waterfall. …

“Several leaders and I devised a plan using a length of webbing to harness an inner tube around one of the other troop’s leaders, a good swimmer, and have the free end of the webbing held by myself to anchor and pull to prevent the waterfall from trapping the leader.

“The water was over our heads, with a constant strong undertow. There was no other way to reach the trapped boys other than swimming through the edge of the falls. In back of the falls was the rough rock wall and the narrow ledge where the boys were trapped.

“We swam through the edge of the falls to the two Scouts. The leader took the first boy in his arms with me leading, swimming and pulling the man and boy against the undertow back through the edge of the falls to shallow water, about 3 to 4 feet, and passed off the first boy to a chain of several other boys and leaders. We then swam back to rescue the second boy in the same manner.

“I told the Scouts to take the two rescued boys out of the spray of the waterfall into the sunlight, where they could warm up.”