Concord teenager receives ‘Superhero Award’

A Concord Township teen who helped rescue another teen from Lake Erie has received the Great Lakes

Safety Consortium’s annual

Water Safety Superhero Award.

Shane Morrison, 15, and Donovan Con- well, 13, of Painesville Township, didn’t know each other, but they happened to be at Headlands Beach State Park at the same time June 25.

Conwell was with his friends and jumped off of a jetty into the water, but with rough currents, he was unable to get back to shore.

Morrison and his friends saw Conwell in the water and tried to get his attention, but were unable to get a response. Morrison jumped into the water as his friends called the U.S. Coast Guard. Morrison stayed with Conwell in the water for several minutes, keeping him afloat until the Coast Guard came and took them out of the water.

For those heroics, Morrison received the nonprofit Great Lakes Safety Consortium’s annual award. The honor was digitally given to Morrison during a Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium “Safety Jam Session” Zoom meeting July 15.

“We really want to thank you for your bravery and your courageous act,” Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium Executive Director Jamie

Racklyeft told Morrison during the meeting.

Racklyeft said the agency reviews news coverage of rescues throughout the year. Roughly once a month, the Awards & Recognition Action Committee chooses a Hero Award recipient. An annual Superhero Award recipient is chosen from those winners.

“We felt Shane set a good example for other teens in saving a stranger,” Racklyeft said. Many teenage boys drown each year, due to peer pressure, feeling invincible, overestimating

their ability, showing off for teenage girls, etc. To have one saved by another teen is inspiring and sends a strong message that anyone can quickly get into danger when they underestimate the power of the Great Lakes.”

Morrison will receive a trophy and made an honorary member Great Lakes Safety Consortium, Racklyeft said.

“We’re very proud of you,” he told Morrison during the meeting.

Erin Morrison, Shane’s mother, said that “as a mom, you hope that you are raising your children to be strong, moral, kind, and responsible individuals.” “Shane has surpassed these expectations in so many aspects of his life already, but this will definitely be at the top of the list going forward,” she said. “I hope that this act of compassion that Shane and his two friends that called the Coast Guard, Mikey Bissler and Jake Dolan exhibited, inspires others to make a difference and take action when situations present themselves.”

Morrison