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OCP photo/Tucker Henrickson receives a bravery award from Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. Pictured at left is Deputy Tim Simon, who is the school resource officer for Shelby Public Schools.
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
HART — Shelby Elementary School student Tucker Henrickson, 10, was presented a bravery award from the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office Thursday, Oct. 8, for his courageous actions when attempting to save his dad’s life last summer.
Mark “Hondo” Henrickson, Jr., died after he ”jumped head-first” into a swimming pool Tuesday afternoon, July 14, in the 4800 block of West Birch Lane in Mason County’s Summit Township.
The bravery award was signed by both Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast and Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole.
Emergency crews responded to the scene “for a reported male subject unresponsive in a swimming pool,” stated Sheriff Cole after the tragic incident.
“Family reported the male had jumped into the pool, headfirst, and did not come back to the surface. Family members and Riverton Fire Department (personnel) removed the person from the pool, and lifesaving efforts began immediately. Despite those efforts, the male was pronounced dead at Corewell Health Hospital in Ludington.”
“The actions that were taken that day were very worthy of being noted, and that was a brave young man who participated in that,” said Sheriff Mast Thursday during a ceremony honoring the fifth grader. “On behalf of the Oceana County and Mason County sheriff’s offices, we are presenting Tucker a bravery award. This past summer, Tucker went through a tragedy that no one wants to experience. Tucker provided first responders and dispatchers critical information that allowed them to be on the scene and try to help in a great timely fashion. It was obviously a very difficult situation. Deputy Tim Simon was very instrumental in bringing this to our attention.”
“I am so proud of Tucker,” said Deputy Simon, who is the school resource officer at Shelby Public Schools. “For a 10-year-old in such a tough situation, he showed heroism and bravery by giving 911 vital information to assist them in getting first responders there quickly and getting them to the right location and doing everything he could in spite of the situation at hand. Tucker did everything he could do possible to help that situation even though it was tragic. Tucker Henrickson is a hero.”
Read Mark Henrickson’s obituary here.
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