The Wanna family presented star quilts to Todd Clausen and Jameson Bartscher, in tan blanket, and Todd Clausen, in blue, on July 25. Photo from South Dakota Highway Patrol / Facebook
A family from the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota honored two men for taking action after a serious car accident. Rebecca Stoughton, 53, her niece, Gabrielle Wanna, 23, and their 2-month-old nephew, Cassidy Wanna, were trapped inside a burning car on June 9. Fellow motorists Jameson Bartscher and Todd Clausen pulled all three from the vehicle without thinking of the dangers posed to them. “The honoring ceremony is held when we hold somebody of really high esteem,” Gabrielle Wanna told The Sioux City Journal of the star quilts that were presented to Clausen and Bartscher. “We’re just so appreciative of what they did. It was a selfless act.” Gabrielle and Cassidy survived the accident. Stoughton succumbed to her injuries on June 22, according to her obituary. “Without those guys it could have been worse," Stacey Wanna, Gabrielle's father, told the paper. The South Dakota State Patrol presented Life Saving Awards to Clausen and Bartscher in a ceremony on July 25. Get the Story:
Sioux City man honored for saving lives of two from burning car (The Sioux City Journal 8/9)
Men To Be Honored After Car Fire Rescue (KELO 7/24)
Woman dies from injuries in vehicle fire (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 6/26)
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