Heroes Honored for Saving Friend

Beau Foix and John Marcella Acted Quickly to Save Cody Herrmann

VIRGINIA, Minn. – Cody Herrmann is lucky to be alive and lucky he has quick thinking friends like Beau Foix and John Marcella.

“It still hasn’t hit me, what could have happened,” he said.

In the early morning hours of October 1st, the boys were getting set to leave from this boat dock for a little duck hunting.  That’s when things took a dangers and nearly tragic turn.

“Foix backed his boat into the water and we loaded it up,” said Hermann.  “Cody was on the dock with it, holding it there.  I was grabbing my last blind bag for the boat and I heard a splash.  I didn’t really know what it was at first, I thought maybe he dropped something in the water like a bag of decoys.  I turned my head lamp on and he wasn’t on the dock.  Then I shined it on the water and I found him floating face down in the water.”

Marcella called Foix to help.  When Foix got to the water, he knew Hermann was in trouble.

“It’s not like when someone falls in the water and they’re like “help, help”;” said Foix.   There was no response, face down in the water.”

Hermann suffered a seizure.  Fortunately his friends didn’t panic.

“I unbuckled my chest waders and hopped in the water,” said Foix.

Marcella watched from shore, as Foix reached Herrmann.

“At one point he went under him  and pushed him up so he could get some air,” said Marcella.  “He dragged him back, pulled him out and we both pulled him by the shoulder straps, up out of the water.”

The boys’ quick thinking didn’t end there.

“John called 911 and I started doing chest compressions, because I knew he sucked in a lot of water,” said Foix.

Foix learned CPR at school, something he’s grateful for, because it helped save his friend’s life.

“You can see why it’s so important,” said Foix.  “You never know when you’ll need it, but when the time comes it came in pretty handy.”

For saving their friend, Foix and Marcella were named Youth Good Samartian Heroes by the Minnesota Chapter Of the American Red Cross.

“Me and John are thankful to be getting all these awards,” said Foix.  “It’s cool because we never thought it would blow up like this.”

Since then Herrmann learned lack of sleep brings on his seizures and he’s taken steps to be healthy.

“I don’t want to have another one because then I can’t drive, I’ll lose freedom,” said Hermann.  “And it’s dangerous.”