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Columbia Heroes Honored with Carnegie Medal for Saving Man from Duck River

Issue #694

March 26, 2026

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌦️ Columbia’s Friday Weather - Clouds early, afternoon showers w/ high of 72, low of 34

📰 Columbia Heroes Honored with Carnegie Medal for Saving Man from Duck River

📚 Columbia State Summer Classes Start May 27 — Apply by May 22

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Columbia Heroes Honored with Carnegie Medal for Saving Man from Duck River

Two Columbia men have been awarded the Carnegie Medal for risking their lives to save another.  

On May 23, 2025, Colin McNary, 25, who was severely autistic, ran into the Duck River at a boat ramp in Chickasaw Trace Park in Columbia, Tennessee, and was swept downstream by the current. On the south side of the boat ramp, auto assembly plant tool coordinator Samuel Hardin Adcock, 26, and network engineer James Alan Garner, 41, both from Columbia, were with Garner’s family when they saw McNary get carried downstream.

Adcock immediately waded out to the channel and began swimming freestyle downstream to try to catch up to McNary. Garner instructed his two children to leave the water and go to their car. He entered the water and swam downstream to catch up to McNary and Adcock.

About 1,000 feet downstream, McNary was swept into a calmer area of the river, where Adcock caught up with him and grabbed him. McNary struggled to stay afloat and submerged Adcock, who pushed McNary away to get air. Adcock stood on an underwater tree limb and grabbed McNary before he pushed him toward the riverbank.

Garner had then arrived and positioned himself behind McNary. The two men pushed and pulled McNary to a large tree root on the riverbank, where they waited for first-responders. The riverbank had a steep, rocky ledge that prevented them from climbing up into the woods. Garner swam upstream about 120 feet to find an alternative route to climb out of the river but was unable to locate one and swam back to the others.

Garner kept McNary calm until a rescue boat could take him back to the boat ramp, where his parents waited. An ambulance took him to a hospital. The boat then returned to pick up Adcock and Garner. McNary, Adcock, and Garner were tired and cold but not injured. Adcock and his Garner were still wet when they later visited the hospital to check on McNary.

The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. With this announcement, the Carnegie Medal has been awarded to 10,563 individuals since the inception of the Pittsburgh-based Fund in 1904. Each of the recipients or their survivors will receive a financial grant. Throughout the 122 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $46 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.

 Columbia State Summer Classes Start May 27 — Apply by May 22

Columbia State Community College’s summer semester begins May 27, and important application deadlines are fast approaching for new and returning students.

New students and returning students who have missed one or more semesters must apply for summer admission by May 22. Summer and fall registration are currently open for all admitted students.

The fall semester begins August 24. New students and returning students who have missed one or more semesters must apply for fall admission by August 21.

Campus tours are available at all of Columbia State’s campuses. New students can schedule an in-person tour or learn about upcoming virtual admissions events.

Upon acceptance, new students must schedule an appointment with an adviser to register for classes and attend an orientation session. Columbia State advisors are ready to help students with the registration process, answer questions and create a plan based on their individual needs.

Applications are free and currently being accepted online at www.columbiastate.edu/apply.  

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Friday, March 27th

Saturday, March 28th

Sunday, March 29th

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Friday, March 27
Open Mic - Grinder’s Switch Winery, 7–9 PM
Late Bloomers - Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM
Ryan Keeler - Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30–9 PM
MFT - Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8–11 PM

Saturday, March 28
The Def Leprechaun Band - McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7–9 PM
Easton Corbin - The Mulehouse, 7:30 PM
The Deltaz - Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM
Sweet T & Trailer Trash - The Boondox, 8 PM
Vintage Voltage - Gary’s Place, 8–11 PM
DownSouth Band - Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8–11 PM

Sunday, March 29
Jackie Saturday - Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 2–5 PM
Maury County Community Band - Columbia Central High School, 3 PM

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