Holly Springs (NC) Resident Eddie Hunnell Honored With Carnegie Medal for Heroic Rescue During Hurricane Helene
Hunnell also received a Congressional Record tribute, as well as a heroism award from his national fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu for his bravery.
Holly Springs, NC, Nov. 19, 2025 — Holly Springs resident Eddie Hunnell received one of North America’s highest civilian awards for bravery during last night’s Town Council meeting, where town officials, family members, and the woman he rescued gathered to recognize his life-saving heroism.
Mayor Sean Mayefskie formally presented Hunnell with the Carnegie Hero Medal, awarded to civilians who risk their lives to save or attempt to save others. Established in 1904 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the medal has been awarded just over 10,500 times, making it one of the nation’s most selective honors. The public presentation of the medal, an indication of the act’s significance, was requested earlier this year by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
During Hunnell’s introduction, Mayefskie emphasized the extraordinary nature of the moment, telling the audience, “We’ve got a recognition this evening that I don’t know how many times in our lifetime we’ll be able to say we’ve seen or heard.”
Congressional Recognition and U.S. Capitol Flag
Following the Carnegie Medal presentation, comments shifted to a second high-level honor. Blake Belch, Southeastern Regional Director for U.S. Senator Ted Budd, presented Hunnell with a copy of the Congressional Record officially recognizing his heroism. The statement, entered on September 30th, recounted the rescue in detail and praised Hunnell’s “extraordinary bravery and selflessness.”
Belch also presented a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol in Hunnell’s honor, noting that his actions embodied North Carolina’s state motto, Esse quam videri, meaning “to be rather than to seem.” The tribute highlighted not only the rescue itself but also Hunnell’s continued support for Leslie Worth and her husband, Phil, following the disaster.
A Rescue Amid Hurricane Helene’s Destruction
Hunnell’s heroic act occurred on September 27th, 2024, in Grassy Creek, North Carolina, as Hurricane Helene delivered catastrophic flooding. According to the Carnegie Hero Fund narrative of the event, Leslie Worth was inside her home when the rising North Fork New River knocked the structure off its foundation. Wearing a life jacket, she jumped from a second-story window into a violent, debris-filled current flowing at an estimated eight miles per hour.
Hunnell, a 57-year-old software engineer from Holly Springs, climbed into a canoe after hearing that someone upstream was in imminent danger. He attempted to paddle upstream but could not overcome the current. He then jumped overboard, swam into the debris-filled main channel, intercepted Worth, and instructed her to float on her back. The current carried them another 600 feet before they reached a widened section of the river where Hunnell was able to swim her toward the bank. Both made it to shore uninjured.
“I Did What I Had to Do”
Speaking to the Council, Hunnell offered a modest retelling of the rescue. He described arriving in Grassy Creek for his son’s wedding just as Helene’s heavy rains washed out roads, downed trees, and swept multiple homes downstream.
“We heard that someone was stranded a couple of hundred yards upriver,” he said. “You could tell the house was not going to last long.” Roughly 30 minutes later, the home collapsed into the river. Hunnell said that Worth’s life jacket and his quick decision to act gave him just enough time to reach her.
Worth and her husband, left without a home after the flooding, later attended the wedding rehearsal dinner alongside the Hunnell family. Hunnell’s assistance also included leading fundraising initiatives to support the family’s rebuild.
Fraternity Honors Add to the Recognition
In addition to the national recognition from the Carnegie Hero Fund and the U.S. Senate, Sigma Alpha Mu, Hunnell’s fraternity, announced in September that he would receive the organization’s 2025 Heroism Award (website). The award highlighted that while visiting Grassy Creek for his son’s wedding, “Eddie jumped into action as floodwaters from the New River swept away homes,” calling his actions a model of brotherhood and moral courage.
A Community United by Courage
As the town council meeting ceremony concluded, council members and residents rose to applaud Hunnell. Mayor Mayefskie noted how rare it is for a community to witness such commendations and said Holly Springs is “proud to call Mr. Hunnell one of our own.”
For her part, Worth, sitting quietly in the back, raised her hand in acknowledgment when introduced. The room responded with a standing ovation when she rose to join the man who saved her life at the front of the room for pictures.
