Two Minneapolis police officers were awarded the MPD Medal of Valor on Tuesday for saving a young boy’s life last year.
Sgt. Jeremy Depies and Officer Ashley Bergersen were both working on Sunday, Nov. 26 when a call came in that a young child had fallen through the ice.
“I didn’t think it was real at first,” said Bergersen, who was working as a field training officer that day.
She rushed to Bryn Mawr Meadows Park, where Sgt. Depies was already running towards the water.
“I went down to the ice, ran down there and I saw his snow pants sticking up out of the water,” he said. “I knew he was in there longer than he’d ever be able to hold his breath.”
Depies ran into the water with Bergersen right behind him.
Bergersen carried the little boy—just four years old—out of the water and handed him off to her partner, who raced him to the pavement. They started CPR and called for an ambulance.
The four-year-old survived.