Boone County Sheriff Sergeant Jonathan Ball and Florence Police Officer Jacob Sander have both been honored with prestigious Carnegie Medals for heroism. Established by the famous industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the medal honors acts of rescue. The awards ceremony was held in the Florence City Council Chambers on Thursday.
The men were honored for saving the life of 47-year-old Florence resident Kristin Barbiea on the night of Jan. 12, 2025. Barbiea had been walking her dog when it escaped her grasp and ran out onto a frozen pond at the center of her apartment complex. Barbiea attempted to retrieve the dog, but they both fell through the ice. A neighbor heard Barbiea’s calls for help and called 911.
Sander responded to the scene first, walking out onto the ice in an attempt to rescue Barbiea. He fell through twice before finding a solid patch, on which he laid flat and unsuccessfully attempted to pull her out. Ball arrived shortly after. Sander called out instructions to Ball so he could successfully navigate the ice on his hands and knees. Ball grasped Sander’s boot and pulled him onto the ice with Barbiea in Sander’s grip. They both then helped move Barbiea out of the pond. Both officers were unharmed, and emergency responders successfully cut Barbiea out of her clothes and provided her with heated blankets.
“Their actions are the embodiment of what it means to serve,” said Boone County Sheriff Les Hill. “They represent the values we hope to instill in our children and grandchildren: bravery, compassion, commitment and a willingness to act when others cannot. Many people enter law enforcement because they want to help others. On that night, Officer Sander and Sergeant Ball didn’t just help someone, they saved her life.”