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Hero
The Resume
(1953- )
Mentioned in Ronald Reagan's State of the Union (January 1982)
Resided in Lorton, Maryland
Support staffer at the Congressional Budget Office
Rescued stewardess from drowning (January 13, 1982)
Subject of 'Nightline' (January 13, 1982)
Why he might be annoying
He refused to go to the ambulance until he was assured he was not going to be charged for it.
He looked like Don Mattingly.
His name rhymes with the first artificial satellite, Sputnik.
Neither he or his wife graduated college.
Why he might not be annoying
Air Florida flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge and the crew and passengers were thrown into the icy/frozen Potomic River (January 13, 1982).
He was part of a crowd of onlookers watching as a 32 year old stewardess failed at several attempts to grasp hold of a lifeline dropped from a rescue helicopter.
He realized that if he did not do anything the woman would surely die, so he went into action without thought of his own personal safety.
He took off his winter coat and jumped into the icy Potomic and swam towards her and brought her to shore.
He was portrayed by Robert Factor in 'Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac.'
He reluctantly appeared on 'Nightline,' until the reporter told him that if he did not come back with her, she would lose her job.
Susan Mercandetti of 'Nightline' reflected: 'He (Skutnik) does this very tearful interview (with Washington Post) about how he didn't want to be a hero, he didn't want to do an interview (on 'Nightline'), but he didn't want this poor girl to lose her job because some tyrant producer boss of hers ... It was awful. It was awful, I felt so terrible and I said to her, the secretary, said, 'Why did you say it?' and she said, 'Well, you told me not to come back without him.'
Ronald Reagan's State of the Union tributes him with: 'Just two weeks ago, in the midst of a terrible tragedy on the Potomac, we saw again the spirit of American heroism at its finest--the heroism of dedicated rescue workers saving crash victims from icy waters. We saw the heroism of one of our young government employees, Lenny Skutnik, who, when he saw a woman lose her grip on the helicopter line, dived into the water and dragged her to safety.'
In 2004, he told the Washington Post: 'I never did consider myself a hero ... I thought what I did was human instinct. It had nothing to do with 'hero.''
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Year In Review:
For 2009, as of last week, Out of 1371 Votes: 27.43% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 68 Votes: 32.35% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 132 Votes: 46.21% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 243 Votes: 39.92% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 480 Votes: 42.29% Annoying
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