He was just 11 and helped save a crash victim. Now, he is among five Scouts of the Year.
He saw the car fly through the air, barrel-rolling before it nosedived into the ground not far from his house near Dickson last February.
Then-11-year-old Matthew Pyle and his dad, Chris, jumped into a tractor and headed toward the wreckage. Father and son saw part of the car resting on a passenger's neck, they said.
The two used the tractor to get the wreckage off the victim's neck, and the boy flagged down a car to call 911 before helping his dad administer first aid.
The passenger made a full recovery, and Matthew Pyle became one of five Boy Scouts in the Middle Tennessee Council to be awarded Scout of the Year.
They scouts were honored Tuesday in a ceremony in downtown Nashville. Retired U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus was the keynote speaker at the fundraiser, the 2023 Nashville Patron Luncheon for the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
The 2022 Scouts of the Year are Wyatt Hensley, of Webelos Pack 358; Matthew Pyle, Second Class, Troop 593; David Olakunle, First Class, Troop 621; Jack Jones, Life Scout, Troop 137; and Hannah Neal, Life Scout, Troop 2019, Venture Crew 357 and Ship 1919.
Here's more on their stories.
Wyatt, 9, of Tullahoma, gave up his summer vacation to work with his church's food ministry, even learning how to operate a pallet jack, the Boy Scouts said. Asked why he gave up his vacation time, Wyatt told his mom, "I'm not doing this for me, I am doing this for my heavenly Father, Jesus Christ."
Matthew, now 12, of Dickson County, helped save a life after watching a speeding car lose control and flip, jamming the door into a passenger's neck, the Boy Scouts said in a news release. He and his dad used a tractor to pull the car back and give them space to do first aid until emergency responders arrived. Matthew and his dad also helped clear roads for emergency vehicles to pass after an EF3 tornado struck Dickson, the Boy Scouts said.
David, 16, of Antioch, designed an online app for his neighborhood, one that lets neighbors foster relationships and help each other in emergencies. That helped David win a Youth App Design Award. He has used those same skills to help his church, Redeemer Christian Church of God, with its online presence, including live-streaming services.
Jack, 14, helped save a buddy's life when a water bottle cap became lodged in his friend's throat during recess at Page Middle School in Franklin. A teacher started doing the Heimlich maneuver, but Jack stepped in and was able to move the cap enough for the student to breathe, the Boy Scouts said in a release.
Hannah, 16, of Murfreesboro, a member of the Middle Tennessee Council's first female troop, has become an outstanding leader, the Boy Scouts said in a release. She currently is the Venturing Officers Association president and she has received the Venturing Leadership Award. She also serves on the Lodge Executive Council and is currently vice chief of service for the OA summer camp. Hannah also was selected to attend the World Jamboree in South Korea in 2023.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 11-year-old hero among the five 2022 Nashville area Scouts of the Year
