Ten-year-old receives Carnegie Medal after saving friend from Virginia chairlift fall

Major Metzger was only 10 when he held a six-year-old boy above the ground during a terrifying chairlift accident at Wintergreen Resort. More than a year later, his actions have earned him one of North America’s highest civilian honors for heroism.

Metzger was presented with the Carnegie Medal by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger during a ceremony in Virginia Beach on September 16. The award recognizes civilians in the United States and Canada who knowingly place themselves in extraordinary danger while attempting to save another person’s life.

The incident happened on January 26, 2025, at Wintergreen Resort in Nellysford, Virginia. Metzger and his friend, six-year-old Bryce Rader, were riding a four-person chairlift with their sisters when Rader struggled to sit securely as the lift began moving uphill.

Wearing skis and a helmet, Rader continued to slide toward the edge of the chair. Metzger, seated beside him, first tried to pull him back onto the seat. But before the lift could be brought to a complete stop, Rader slipped entirely from the chair.

The lift was approximately 16 feet above rugged, sloping terrain. Metzger leaned forward over the chair and caught Rader by both arms, gripping him with his gloved hands. He continued to hold on while the chairlift stopped and ski patrol made its way beneath them.

For roughly four minutes, Metzger supported his friend’s weight while Rader dangled below the chair. Ski patrol eventually positioned a safety mat underneath and instructed Rader to let go.

Rader landed on the mat, bounced off it and sustained only a minor bump to his head. Medical staff assessed him at the scene, but he did not require further treatment. Metzger’s arms were sore and he was shaken, but he was also uninjured. He remained on the chairlift with the other children and rode to the top of the run.

Rader later offered a short description of what Metzger’s intervention meant to him: “He saved my life.”

A decision made in seconds

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission said Metzger made a conscious decision to expose himself to danger in order to protect his friend. His position made the rescue especially difficult: he was seated on a moving chairlift, wearing skis and winter equipment, while attempting to hold another child who was hanging below him.

The rescue left little room for preparation or careful planning. Metzger had to react as Rader slipped, maintain his grip and continue holding him until trained rescuers could reach the chair.

The story first drew wider attention after Rader visited Metzger’s classroom with a local television reporter and presented him with an “Everyday Hero” award. The younger boy embraced his friend during the surprise presentation.

That earlier recognition was followed by the Carnegie Medal, which had been announced by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission in March 2026. Spanberger presented the medal before Metzger’s family, school officials and local leaders. Metzger is now a student at Virginia Beach Middle School.

A century-old tradition of civilian courage

The Carnegie Medal was established by industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1904 after a mining disaster near Pittsburgh in which two rescuers died. The fund was created to recognize civilians who risk their own lives to save others.

Since its creation, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission has awarded more than 10,000 medals to people in the United States and Canada. Metzger’s recognition places a child’s act of courage within a tradition that has primarily honored adults who intervened in fires, accidents, drownings and other life-threatening emergencies.

His case also highlights the role of ski patrol in responding to chairlift emergencies. Once the lift was stopped, rescuers brought a mat beneath the chair and coordinated the moment at which Rader should release his grip. The controlled landing helped limit the consequences of a fall from significant height.

For Metzger, however, the decisive action came before patrol reached the scene. In a moment that lasted only seconds, he reached for his friend—and then held on.

The medal ceremony formally recognized what Rader and those present at the resort already understood: on a moving chairlift above rough ground, a 10-year-old boy became the only thing standing between his friend and a potentially fatal fall.