MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A brave Boy Scout was recently honored in Montgomery County.
About three years after his act of heroism, Kristian Rau received the first Distinguished Community Neighbor in Precinct 2 award ever given.
Kristian is 17 now and attends Magnolia High School, but about three years ago, when he was a 14-year-old student at Bear Branch Junior High, he didn't hesitate to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation.
He was sitting in the school gym bleachers when he saw two boys arguing over a basketball. One of them pulled out a pair of scissors and was trying to stab the other. That's when Kristian sprung into action.
"And he was actively trying to stab and then I sort of grabbed his arm, the other boy ran out, I pushed him and I and some other students, we closed the door," Kristian said.
They locked the boy in a storage closet.
Officials said his actions could have saved multiple lives that day.
Because of his actions, he was honored on Tuesday by Montgomery County Commissioner Charlie Riles, who gave him the first-of-its-kind award.
The teen had already earned one of the rarest of all Scout medals, the Boy Scouts' Honor Medal with Crossed Palms, for his act of heroism. On average, since 1911, the medal is awarded about three times per year across the country. It's given to people who "demonstrated unusual heroism and extraordinary skill or resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save a life at extreme risk to self."
Riley said Kristian saved two lives that day -- the first boy from injury and the attacking boy from making a mistake that would have followed him for the rest of his life.
Kristian seemed to take the praise in stride. He said his next goal is to become an Eagle Scout.