Senate Resolution No. 2740

BY: Senator WEBER

COMMENDING Brandon Gruttemeyer upon the occasion
of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal,
the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the
New York State Senate

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend the caring concern and heroic acts of individuals who take
prompt and appropriate action in emergency situations, nobly risking
their own lives in an effort to preserve the life of another; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Brandon Gruttemeyer upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, On the night of Thursday, August 1, 2024, suddenly and
inexplicably, Brandon Gruttemeyer's coworker, who does not know how to
swim, dove into the water, rising to the surface immediately in need of
assistance; another fellow employee, Eric VanAuken, who was already in
the water, was not able to help the victim on his own due to his
thrashing and size; and

WHEREAS, Upon being notified of the emergency, this selfless Lake
George Club sailing instructor, Brandon Gruttemeyer, immediately leapt
into action to find a flashlight; he rushed back to the scene, and was
able to locate the struggling individual who was found under
approximately 10-12 feet of water; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Gruttemeyer and Eric VanAuken were able to pull the
individual in need from the water, and began administering CPR
compressions as well as mouth-to-mouth maneuvers; and

WHEREAS, Emergency medical service professionals arrived at the
scene and were able to get the victim to a point of stabilized breathing
with a strong pulse; and

WHEREAS, Once at Glens Falls Hospital, the condition of the victim
began decreasing and destabilizing rapidly, causing the immediate
transfer of the individual to Albany Medical Center where an expert team
of specially trained healthcare professionals utilized equipment known
as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine; this decision was
paramount to ensuring the individual's opportunity for recovery; and

WHEREAS, The victim showed signs of great improvement over the
following days of the incident, sitting up, smiling, and responding to
his father's voice; the likes of which were able to occur due to the
swift and lifesaving efforts of Brandon Gruttemeyer that night; and


WHEREAS, A truly brave and courageous man, Brandon Gruttemeyer
played a vital role in this extraordinary rescue effort, and should be
praised by the people of this great Empire State for his astute actions
in working to preserve the life of another; and

WHEREAS, Brandon Gruttemeyer, in his spontaneous and heroic act, has
so aptly demonstrated his character and compassion for the welfare of
others, personifying, by virtue of his action, the collective concern of
ordinary citizens across the community of New York State who voluntarily
respond without thought of danger or reward when others are in need of
help; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Brandon Gruttemeyer upon the occasion of his designation as
recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Brandon Gruttemeyer.