He says he is no hero. He says he did what came naturally.
Marvin Pinckney of Enterprise saved two ladies from a burning home. Now, he has been presented with the Carnegie Medal.
He was honored Tuesday night with the prestigious medal for his extraordinary act of heroism. The medal was presented during the Enterprise City Council meeting.
Mayor William E. Cooper joined Denine Richey from U.S. Rep. Barry Moore’s (R-Enterprise) office to present the medal.
In September 2022, Pinckney, a retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major, was in his garage when he saw flames coming from a neighbor’s home on Enterprise’s Bellwood Road. He called 911 and then ran into the burning home where he rescued Mary Griffin and her caregiver. He moved a bed to make room for Mrs. Griffin’s wheelchair and, with the help of another neighbor, assisted both women in escaping through a window.
“Mr. Pinckney, your courage and quick thinking made a tremendous difference that day,” said Mayor Cooper. “Your selfless actions are truly inspiring.”
Previously honored with a Key to the City, Pinckney has now received national recognition with the prestigious Carnegie Medal—one of the country's highest honors for civilian heroism.
Upon accepting the award, Pinckney stated, “I am not a hero. I am an everyday American who saw someone who needed help. I would do it again.”
Established in 1904 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recognizes civilians who voluntarily risk their lives to save others. More than 10,000 medals have been awarded to individuals who demonstrated exceptional bravery, often at great personal risk.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission made a permanent national tribute to the story of Marvin Pinckney and his heroic actions.
Post reads as follows:
Marvin A. Pinckney saved Mary H. Griffin and Angela R. Byrd from burning, Enterprise, Alabama, September 4, 2022. Griffin, 82, and her caretaker, Byrd, 56, were in a den on the first floor of a two-story house when flames broke out in the garage. Pinckney, 51, retired army aviation operations specialist, was outside his home nearby and saw smoke coming from Griffin’s property. Knowing Griffin had limited mobility, Pinckney called 911 and responded to the rear of the structure. Seeing flames in the garage, he entered through a rear door to an enclosed porch adjacent to the garage and found them in the den. He alerted them that the house was on fire, and about then the home lost power. Pinckney started toward the rear door, but flames blocked that exit and had spread to engulf the rear wall. Thick smoke also blocked the front entrance. Pinckney assisted Byrd in moving Griffin from an electronic lift chair into her wheelchair, and guided Griffin and Byrd toward a front bedroom to escape through a window. Following Pinckney, Byrd became disoriented in the smoke while pushing the wheelchair and Pinckney called out to guide her. Pinckney, moving ahead of the women to clear a path to safety, lifted a bed to allow space for the wheelchair, and Byrd pushed the chair to a point near the window. Pinckney opened the window and pushed out the screen, then guided Byrd through the window opening to others outside, who pulled her the rest of the way out to safety. Pinckney then similarly lifted Griffin from the chair and pushed her upper body through the opening. Pinckney then exited through the window. Both Griffin and Byrd were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Byrd suffered smoke inhalation, and she was treated and released. Griffin remained at the hospital at least overnight. The house sustained extensive flame and smoke damage and was later torn down. Pinckney suffered minor smoke inhalation and was treated and released from the hospital. He recovered.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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