Lenny Skutnik
Encyclopedia
Martin Leonard Skutnik III (born 1953, Mississippi , known as "Lenny") is a former American employee of the Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Budget Office
The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides economic data to Congress....

. He is known by an act of heroism which led him to be mentioned by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 in the State of the Union Address
State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...

, which coined the term "Lenny Skutnik" referring to notable people who are invited to sit in the gallery at a State of the Union address or other joint meeting of Congress. Skutnik has held various jobs as a painter, supermarket porter, and cook for the Burger Chef
Burger Chef
Burger Chef was an American fast-food restaurant chain founded in 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The chain expanded throughout the United States, and at its peak, was second only to McDonald's in the number of locations nationwide...

 restaurant chain. He has also worked in a meat packing plant and in a furniture factory.

1982 act of heroism

Lenny Skutnik is a retired printing and distribution assistant for the Congressional Budget Office who is generally known for an act of heroism following the crash of Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia, to Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a stopover at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida...

 on January 13, 1982 in the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...

, Washington, DC. At the time, Skutnik was a US government office assistant. During the rescue operation of passengers from the crashed plane, one passenger, Priscilla Tirado, was too weak to grab the line dropped from a helicopter. Hundreds of people were watching, including emergency services personnel. Skutnik saw the situation, and stripped off his coat and boots and, in short sleeves, dove into the icy water and swam the 30 feet out to assist her. He succeeded in getting Tirado to the river shore, from where Tirado was subsequently taken to hospital, saving her life.

For this act, Skutnik was invited to attend the 1982 State of the Union
State Of The Union
"State Of The Union" is the debut single from British singer-songwriter David Ford. It had previously been featured as a demo on his official website, before appearing as a track on a CD entitled "Apology Demos EP," only on sale at live shows....

 address by US President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 on 26 January 1982. He was the first in what has become an annual tradition of notable people being invited to sit in the President's box at the State of the Union address. Skutnik sat next to First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...

 Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....

. Reagan praised Skutnik as follows:


Skutnik received a standing ovation from the entire assembled audience. Since then, others who are invited into the Presidential gallery and honored in the speech have been known among the Washington press corps as "Lenny Skutniks". The Presidential gallery is sometimes referred to as "The Heroes' Gallery".

Among the honors that Skutnik received for his act of heroism are the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

's Gold Lifesaving Medal and the Carnegie Hero Fund
Carnegie Hero Fund
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, and to provide financial assistance for those disabled and the dependents of those killed saving or...

 Medal. He received 1600 pieces of mail over several weeks after the incident, a number of them addressed to "Lenny Skutnik, Hero of the Potomac". He also received various public tributes, including two "Lenny Skutnik Days" in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

 on 9 February and 10 February 1982. On 3 February 1982, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

unanimously passed a resolution in praise of Skutnik's "unselfish act of bravery", with a standing ovation.

On June 4, 2010, Skutnik retired from work for the US government after 31 years of service.

External links

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