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A Minnesota man is receiving national recognition for his life-saving efforts of a man in September 2023 who went over a retaining wall in his vehicle and into Fountain Lake in Albert Lea.

Dalton Grose, of Waterville, is among 18 individuals to be recognized by the Carnegie Hero Fund for acts of extraordinary heroism. The fund recognizes those who risk serious injury or death to save others, according to a press release.

This is the Hero Fund’s third award announcement for 2024. Each individual will receive the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.
Grose rescued Dwight M. Weise, 85, who was disoriented and trapped in his truck after it went over a retaining wall and entered Fountain Lake in Albert Lea on Sept. 20, 2023.

At a point 60 feet from shore, the truck began to sink in 7 feet of water.

Grose, 25, a construction administrator, was working on a boat nearby with his co-worker when they witnessed the incident. Grose piloted the boat close to the truck and, fully clothed, jumped into the cold water, where he swam to the driver’s door.

By then, water inside the truck had reached Weise’s chin and the truck continued to sink. Grose attempted to open the door, which was damaged in the accident, and could only open it a crack before water pressure forced it shut. He was undeterred and, using his feet against the body of the truck as leverage, he pulled hard and successfully opened the door.

Grose cradled Weise, pulling him from the vehicle. With his legs, Grose pushed away from the truck and then pushed off the bottom of the lakebed to resurface. After taking three bounding steps while still cradling Weise, submerging and  resurfacing, Grose reached wadable water. He carried Weise to a ladder attached to a dock.

Weise exited the water with help from a bystander before he was delivered to emergency personnel. Grose swam back to his boat and piloted it to shore.

Weise was disoriented but suffered no injuries. Grose, also, suffered no injuries.

The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

Since the inception of the Pittsburg-based fund in 1904, the Carnegie Medal has been  awarded to 10,458 individuals.

Each of the  recipients or their survivors will receive a financial grant. Throughout the 120 years since the fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, more than $45 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits and continuing assistance.