Vermont State Police Trooper Michelle Archer has been awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal for Heroism for saving an 8-year-old girl who fell through ice in December 2023.
Trooper Archer is one of 17 people honored by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for risking their lives to help others.
The recognition comes from a rescue on December 17, 2023, in Cambridge, Vermont, when Archer responded to a 911 call about a young girl trapped in a pond.
She arrived quickly and immediately took action.
“I knew I had to go into the water,” Archer said in a video interview. “By the time I reached her, the water was over my head, and I was swimming. Something just kicked in — I didn’t think, I just acted.”
When Archer arrived, a homeowner pointed to the girl, who was still visible in the water.
Archer grabbed a rope and flotation device, swam to the girl, secured her, and brought her back to shore.
Trooper Keith Cote arrived soon after and carried the girl to a waiting ambulance.
“I knew she was still alive because she was making noises that told me she was breathing,” Archer said. “I was just thankful that everything lined up that day and we had a positive outcome.”
Trooper Cote reflected on the rescue, saying, “Calls involving children are the hardest.
Getting the call the next day that the child would make a full recovery and have no lasting effects made it much easier to return to work.”
The girl survived and fully recovered.
Trooper Archer has also been named a finalist for the International Association of Chiefs of Police / Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year and received the Vermont State Police Lifesaving Award.
Archer has served with the Vermont State Police since 2018 and is based at the Williston Barracks.
She also works as a Field Training Officer and is part of the agency’s Search and Rescue Team.
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