Heroism medal awarded for saving driver from sinking truck in Mississippi River
Couple saves driver from sinking car in Mississippi River
A Massachusetts couple likely saved a man's life after he had a medical emergency and crashed into the Mississippi River near Dresbach on Monday.
LA CRESCENT, Minn. (FOX 9) - A cross-country traveler from Boston is being recognized as a national hero after jumping into the Mississippi River to save a man trapped in a sinking truck.
Rescue at the Mississippi River rest area
What we know:
The Winona County Sheriff’s Office says a motorist suffered a medical emergency while traveling on Interstate 90 on June 30, 2025, during which he lost control of his vehicle at the Dresbach rest area, sending it down a steep embankment and into the Mississippi River about 60 feet from shore.
Brittany Pashkow and Dustin Colson Leaning, a couple from Massachusetts, were parked nearby in their camper when they saw the vehicle roll into the water. Pashkow called 911 as Colson Leaning dove into the river to help.
Colson Leaning found the driver semi-conscious and bleeding from the face as water rushed into the cab.
Authorities say he tried to open the passenger and driver’s doors, but couldn’t, before managing to open the rear driver’s side door as the truck began to sink.
By the time law enforcement arrived, the vehicle was completely submerged.
Brittany Pashkow and Dustin Colson Leaning with first responders in Winona County.
Dig deeper:
Colson Leaning is now being awarded the Carnegie Medal, which is considered North America’s highest civilian honor for heroism, and is awarded to individuals who risk themselves to an extraordinary degree to save or attempt to save others’ lives.
The man was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
What they're saying:
"I’d like to thank them for being in the right place at the right time AND taking immediate action," Winona County Sheriff Ron Ganrude said in a statement.
The backstory:
Colson Leaning was one of 18 people nationwide to receive the award in 2026.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission also honored Frank Mervin Young, a 59-year-old taxi driver from Sugar Hill, Georgia, who died while rescuing a woman and her daughter from drowning in the Chattahoochee River on July 2, 2025.
The Source: Information provided by the Winona County Sheriff’s Office and the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.