The piece remembers two Alaska State Troopers who risked their lives entering near-freezing water to save drowning victims, outlines the incidents on the Tanana River and a Mat-Su lake, highlights the recognition they received, and notes the broader need for people willing to face danger to help strangers.

Alaska Man Monday: Two True Alaska Heroes

We remember heroes on days like Pearl Harbor Day, but local bravery matters every day, too. Alaska’s rugged landscape tests residents and first responders in ways most places do not. Two state troopers stepped up this year, meeting that test head-on.

Both troopers received formal recognition for actions that cost them comfort and risked their lives. The Department of Public Safety awarded them the Commissioner’s Commendation during a December 2 ceremony at the governor’s office. Their conduct models the kind of public service communities count on when the unexpected happens.

The first rescue unfolded in the early hours of May 29 along the Tanana River, where a man was struggling in the water near a steel dock. Trooper Nathan Hollenbeck arrived quickly and found the victim about 15 feet below the dock and already hypothermic. Hollenbeck fashioned a makeshift rescue harness, called for additional help, and then entered the icy river himself to keep the victim’s head above water until a rescue boat could arrive.

“He was already pale,” Hollenbeck told Alaska’s News Source in an interview in May. “He was not really responding to us talking to him, and he was obviously weak and cold.”

For roughly 30 minutes Hollenbeck clung to both the struggling man and the hope they would both make it out alive. Both men were severely hypothermic and taken to the hospital, and the victim ultimately survived and was released from the ICU several days later. That outcome reflects the difference made by immediate, risky intervention in a life-or-death moment.

The second incident happened on June 10 at a Mat-Su lake, where a 17-year-old went underwater about 75 feet from shore. Trooper Garrett Stephens sprinted into 42-degree water, swimming out to reach the youth who was drifting in and out of consciousness and vomiting water. Responders tossed life vests; Stephens donned one and swam the other out, then towed the teen back to shore while supporting him with one arm and grasping him with the other.

Medical staff treated the teen for water inhalation and severe hypothermia, later concluding he likely would have died without Stephens’ actions. That kind of hands-on rescue, in brutal conditions and with little margin for error, is exactly what the public hopes its troopers will do in a crisis.

Governor Mike Dunleavy commented on their service, saying the troopers’ actions “showcase their dedication and commitment to our great state.” That public acknowledgment recognizes a reality Alaskans understand: the environment is unforgiving, and the willingness of individuals to step into danger preserves lives and community trust.

These rescues also remind us that heroes are often ordinary people in uniform. The troopers acted not for notoriety but out of duty and compassion, putting the safety of strangers ahead of their own. That moral clarity and quick decision-making under stress are fundamentals of effective emergency response.

Stories like these deserve attention not because they make us feel good, but because they reinforce what communities rely on: capable, courageous people ready to intervene when disaster strikes. Alaska’s outdoors can be beautiful and deadly at the same time, and having trained, committed responders matters more than ever.

Recognition like the Commissioner’s Commendation matters as more than ceremony; it signals to the public that acts of exceptional risk to save another are seen and valued. Troopers Garrett Stephens and Nathan Hollenbeck earned that recognition through actions that left little doubt about their character and readiness to serve.

Now, a few words about earthquakes and other natural events of note.