Most adults would have hesitated. We might have looked around, wondered if someone else was handling it, or simply panicked in the heat. Not Antoni Litecky. At just 7 years old — still in second grade — he saw someone in distress and acted with a calm, purposeful speed that most grown-ups would envy.
It was a sweltering June morning at a Scout camp event held at Gunston Hall Museum. Temperatures were pushing close to 100 degrees when, in the late morning hours, a woman collapsed inside the building — overcome by the intense heat. She was on the ground, visibly ill.
Without a moment's hesitation, this young Scout ran to her side. Antoni dampened a cloth and placed it on her head, offered her water, and then sprinted to alert the first aid station. Every step of that response — every choice — came straight from a Scout class on treating heat injuries that he had taken just that same day.
For this act of courage and compassion, Antoni will receive Scouting America's National Medal of Merit — one of the organization's rarest and most prestigious honors. Awarded since 1945 by the National Court of Honor, the medal recognizes youth or adult members who demonstrate extraordinary care for others, often through lifesaving actions. It is presented only when a nomination rises to the national level — an achievement representing a tiny fraction of Scouting's millions of members.
Antoni on the day he provided assistance.
The formal presentation will take place this coming June at the Scout Court of Honor — a ceremony worthy of the extraordinary young person being honored. We couldn't be prouder to call this Scout our neighbor – congratulations Antoni!
This article was written by a volunteer for The Compass. Our writers work collaboratively to share community stories and information throughout Cameron Station. To learn how to contribute, email thecompass@cameronstation.org or communications@cameronstation.org.
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