Columbia, TN (September 14, 2026) - Columbia resident Samuel Hardin Adcock was honored Thursday evening with the Carnegie Medal for his heroic actions to rescue a man from drowning in the Duck River at Chickasaw Trace Park.
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder and the Columbia City Council presented the medal to Adcock during the September City Council Meeting at Columbia City Hall.
“Samuel’s actions that day demonstrated tremendous courage and selflessness,” said Mayor Chaz Molder. “He saw someone in danger and immediately put his own safety at risk to help. We are proud to recognize Samuel as a Columbia hero and to celebrate this well-deserved honor with him and his family.”
Adcock, an auto assembly plant tool coordinator, was awarded the Carnegie Medal in March by the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for his actions on May 23, 2025.
According to the Commission, 25-year-old Colin McNary, who was severely autistic, ran into the Duck River at a boat ramp in Chickasaw Trace Park and was swept downstream by the current. Adcock, 26, and James Alan Garner, 41, both of Columbia, were with Garner’s family near the boat ramp when they saw McNary being carried downstream.
Adcock immediately entered the river and swam downstream. Garner followed. About 1,000 feet downstream, McNary was swept into a calmer area, where Adcock was able to reach him. McNary struggled and submerged Adcock, who pushed McNary away to get air. Adcock then stood on an underwater tree limb, grabbed McNary again and helped move him toward the riverbank.
Garner arrived and positioned himself behind McNary. Together, the two men pushed and pulled McNary toward a large tree root. The steep, rocky riverbank prevented them from climbing out. Garner swam approximately 120 feet upstream to look for another route but was unable to find one. He returned and helped keep McNary calm until a rescue boat arrived.
The rescue boat transported McNary to the boat ramp, where his parents were waiting. He was then taken by ambulance to a hospital. The boat returned to the river to pick up Adcock and Garner, who were tired and cold but not injured. The two men later visited the hospital, still wet from the rescue, to check on McNary.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recognized Adcock as its 10,561st hero. Established by Andrew Carnegie in 1904, the Commission awards the Carnegie Medal to individuals who perform acts of lifesaving at extraordinary risk to themselves. The Commission has awarded Carnegie Medals to more than 10,000 individuals and has provided more than $45 million in grants to recipients and survivors, including scholarship assistance and continuing aid.
Adcock’s Carnegie Medal recognizes his extraordinary courage and willingness to risk his own safety to help save another person.
Information about the rescue and the Carnegie Medal included in this release was provided by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
ABOUT COLUMBIA, TN
The City of Columbia is the county seat of Maury County, located 45 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee. Columbia is experiencing a renaissance of new industry, residential development, a bustling historic downtown square, and emerging arts district while attracting companies, residents, and visitors looking for affordability, quality of life, and a Main Street experience, all in a convenient location. Columbia is a Southern Living ‘Top 10 Best Small Town’ and the ancestral home of the 11th U.S. President James K. Polk.
