Eric Holder, a sophomore at Daviess County High School, will be recognized by the Daviess County Fiscal Court at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at the Daviess County Courthouse. The recognition, facilitated by Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain, will honor Eric for his lifesaving actions in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 20.
Eric and his father were driving to their farm in Whitesville to go turkey hunting when they encountered heavy water over the road that caused their truck to briefly hydroplane. After stopping their truck, they saw a small car in the field beside the road, about to sink underwater. At first, they assumed the car was empty, but then Eric heard a woman’s voice calling for help.
Eric’s first thought was, “I’m trained for these type of situations.”
Eric is a student in Matt Brannon’s emergency procedures class at DCHS, where students learn skills such as assessing and responding to emergency situations, first aid and other lifesaving actions.
As Eric’s father called 911 for assistance, Eric instructed the driver to exit her car through the window and helped her safely to the road, where the Holders kept her warm in their truck and provided hot coffee while waiting for first responders – and watching as the car sank completely underwater.
The Holders drove the woman home before resuming their plans to go turkey hunting, but as Eric said, “I realized just how important picking up a few skills in class can be. It can range from making someone feel more comfortable to even saving someone’s life. I walked with my head a little higher that day, knowing that I did the right thing and saved a life in the action.”
