JONESPORT — The U.S. Coast Guard has honored a 9-year-old boy from Maine for helping save his grandfather after he fell overboard into 44-degree ocean waters.
Coast Guard officials and U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud presented a Coast Guard Certificate of Valor to Matthew Drisko during a ceremony today at the Coast Guard station in Drisko’s hometown of Jonesport.
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Matthew and his grandfather were on a fishing trip in May 2009 when his grandfather got tangled in a line and fell overboard. After attempting to lift his grandfather back into the boat, the boy gave him a life jacket and steered the boat to a fishing vessel that was passing nearby.
The fishing boat crew then helped pull the grandfather to safety.
Only 15 Certificates of Valor have been awarded since its inception in 2003.
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