| Aron Ralston presents Capt. Kyle Ekker a check for $4,000 for the Emery County Search and Rescue. |
Members of the Emery County Sheriff’s Office met with Aron Ralston for the first time since his dramatic rescue earlier this year. Ralston severed his own arm after it became stuck under an 800 pound boulder in Blue John Canyon.
Sheriff Lamar Guymon and Capt. Kyle Ekker were presented with an award of merit on Nov. 6. Ralston spoke at the McKay Events Center to doctors, nurses and students. Jackie Brown who is a nurse at the Timpanogos Critical Care Center was instrumental in bringing Ralston and his Emery County rescuers together. They shared a lunch before the speech where Ralston presented Emery, Grand and Wayne counties search and rescue units with checks for $4,000 each. The plaque for the sheriff and captain is engraved with the words, “In appreciation for your untiring efforts to successfully rescue Aron Ralston.”
Capt. Ekker said, “This is the first time I have met personally with Aron. We have talked on the phone numerous times and he personally thanked us and asked questions about how the rescue developed and he wanted to know the facts of the rescue. We also met with his parents and they thanked the Emery County people for rescuing their son.”
Sheriff Guymon said, “We appreciate this donation to the search and rescue units. This money will be used where it is needed, probably for equipment. We are always looking to update the equipment needed to make rescues of this type possible. We appreciate the dedication of our search and rescue units, it would be impossible to make rescues like this without their help and support.”
Det. Greg Funk and Sgt. Mitch Vetere were also on hand to meet Ralston and were presented with awards of merit. They were in the helicopter piloted by Terry Mercer and the first to render aid to Ralston.