Congressional Medal of Honor Society selects Altamont student for service award

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Altamont School student Ethan Hill is one of only five individuals and one organization to earn the 2024 Citizen Honors Award presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The Society hosted the honorees in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on National Medal of Honor Day, March 25.

The tradition is also in keeping with the preference of Recipients to shine a light on others rather than themselves, as they believe that the Medals of Honor they were awarded should be seen more broadly as a symbol of the sacrifices and service of others.

This year’s honorees are credited with saving victims during the fires in Lahaina, Hawaii, disarming a mass shooter in Los Angeles, and performing acts of service benefiting those with autism and veteran communities. Society members selected Ethan Hill as the 2024 Youth Service Honoree in recognition of his service to the homeless community in and around Birmingham through his Ethan’s Heart Bags4Blessings organization.

“Ethan brings so much awareness of homelessness in this community” Altamont Head of School Cecil Stodghill said in the Society’s video introduction to Hill’s work. “To see that a teenager can have such an impact really pushes others to say, ‘I can do that, I want to do that, I should do that’”.

The awards event followed a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and a dinner that introduced honorees to Society members. Hill met Medal of Honor Recipient retired Army Capt. Paris D. Davis, who was supposed to present his award. Davis was unable, so Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta presented the award. Giunta is the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor in the 21st century.

“Medal of Honor Recipients know that there are many Americans who share the values we seek to promote through our outreach, and we think it is important to hold them up as role models for others,” Medal of Honor Recipient and Society President Britt Slabinski said at the ceremony. “Their self-sacrifice embodies the American spirit and shows that the opportunity to serve others does not require a military uniform.”

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In addition to Hill, the 2024 honorees include:

Riley Coon (Wailuku, Hawaii), selected as a Single Act of Heroism Honoree for his act of heroism on Jan. 21, 2023, when he answered the call from the Coast Guard to use his vessels in saving the lives of people trying to escape the inferno in Lahaina. Riley led his team into harm’s way with 80 mph winds close to shore and intense heat coming from land. They were instrumental in saving lives.

Brandon Tsay (San Marino, California), selected as a Single Act of Heroism Honoree for his act of heroism on Aug. 9, 2023, when he disarmed the Monterey Park, California, mass shooter at the Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in Alhambra, California, during Lunar New Year celebrations.

Austen Macmillan (Wellington, Florida), selected as a Young Hero Honoree for his act of heroism on Sept. 4, 2023, when he pulled his behavioral therapist from a swimming pool and performed CPR after he attempted to show the boy how long he could hold his breath underwater.

Danny Combs (Golden, Colorado), selected as the Service Act Honoree for his work to create better lives for those with autism. Inspired by his son, Dylan, Danny started TACT - Teaching the Autism Community Trades to create authentic training that leads to careers. His program has become the most successful training-to-employment program for the autism community in Colorado.

America’s VetDogs (Smithtown, New York), selected as the Community Service Honoree for providing enhanced mobility and renewed independence to veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with disabilities, allowing them to live with pride and self-reliance once again. America’s VetDogs utilizes a meticulous matching program to ensure that each recipient is matched with the dog that best suits that person’s mobility, personality, lifestyle, and physical needs.###

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