24-Year-Old Electrician Receives Carnegie Medal After Risking His Life to Save Injured Hang Glider
DUNCAN, British Columbia — September 22, 2026

A 24-year-old electrician from British Columbia has been awarded the Carnegie Medal after risking his own life to rescue an injured hang-glider pilot stranded high on a mountain.

Matthew Robert Clark was among 16 people recognized this month by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for acts of civilian heroism across the United States and Canada. The Carnegie Medal is awarded to people who put themselves in extreme danger while saving or attempting to save another person.

A Dangerous Crash on Mount Prevost
The rescue happened on February 6, 2026, when 75-year-old Stephen Parson crashed his hang glider into a tree on Mount Prevost in Duncan, British Columbia.

Parson was left suspended in his harness about 200 feet below the mountain’s summit. He was injured and becoming semiconscious, while the harness straps were restricting circulation to his legs.

Clark was among several paragliders who had landed nearby when they heard over the radio that Parson had crashed.

He joined two other paragliders and a police officer in climbing the mountain to reach the injured pilot.

Clark Climbed Without Safety Gear
The group eventually reached the bottom of a steep rock formation. Clark then climbed a narrow, approximately 27-foot vertical section without climbing equipment.

According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, he used his back against one side of the slippery, moss-covered rock and his feet against the other to climb upward.

After reaching Parson, Clark cut him free from the hang-glider harness and moved him to a safer area near the edge of the rock formation.

Clark then provided first aid while waiting for professional rescuers.

Hours of Waiting for Rescue
Two rescue teams initially attempted to reach the pair but were unable to do so.

Clark remained with Parson for several hours until a rescue helicopter arrived. A doctor was lowered to the location and stabilized Parson enough for rescuers to hoist him from the mountain.

Parson was later taken to hospital, where he spent eight days recovering from a concussion, broken ribs, a fractured wrist and a leg injury.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission said Parson eventually fully recovered. Clark was not injured during the rescue.

Recognized for Extraordinary Courage
Clark is one of 16 people receiving the Carnegie Medal in the latest award announcement.

The commission said the recipients helped save several people, including five children, during separate incidents. The medal has been awarded to more than 10,000 people since the Carnegie Hero Fund was established in 1904.

Sources: Carnegie Hero Fund Commission; Carnegie Hero Fund Commission — Matthew Robert Clark.