A Dunnellon man received the U.S. Department of the Interior’s highest honor for a civilian on Thursday.
Tim Durden volunteers for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge.
Back in 2015, Durden saved a 21-year-old man on the verge of drowning in Crystal River.
He says while on a four hour volunteer shift, he saw seven young people paddling into the springs on paddle boards.
He told them paddle boards and kayaks are off limits, but they could beach their boards and swim in.
Durden told News Channel 8 six of them “swam on in like Olympic swimmers,” but one didn’t look too confident.
When the swimmer began to go underwater at the entrance of the Spring Run Canal, Durden paddled over on a kayak.
The panicked swimmer grabbed the kayak in an attempt to stay above water, but almost tipped Durden over into the 8-foot deep water.
Durden calmed the swimmer and towed him back to his boat with a rope on the rear of his kayak.
His quick thinking and calm demeanor may have saved both the swimmer’s life and his own.
On Thursday, he received the department’s Citizen’s Award for Bravery during a luncheon.
Durden said he knew he had been honored, but didn’t know when he would receive the actual award.
Durden said it was a proud moment for him, though he says he wishes he would have known he was receiving it on Thursday because he “would’ve worn a coat and tie rather than my shorts.”
