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District Commander honors heroic Seaman for saving fellow coastguardsman

Posted at 7:10 PM, Dec 20, 2013
and last updated 2013-12-20 19:11:14-05

Seaman Stacy Sasser wore a bright smile as she received a very special honor Friday morning.

"Overwhelmed, very grateful but like I said I didn't do it by myself," Sasser said.

Even the Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District, Admiral Steve Ratti, made the trip to Little Creek to personally pin her with a gold medal. And to recognize seven other shipmates who helped her rescue a fellow coast guardsman.

“In this outfit no one person does a job by themselves everybody is a part of the team," said Admiral Ratti.

Earlier this month, Petty Officer Second Class David Blonn slipped while climbing onto a vessel and fell facedown into the Chesapeake Bay unconscious.

Sasser took action pulling the 34-year-old father of four from 48 degree waters.

"It's sort of like a de facto best friend for life ya know. I mean somebody you'll always hold in your heart," said Blonn.

Blonn calls this his pay it forward.

He was in Sasser's spot a couple of months ago receiving an award of his own for saving a citizen.

"I was saying I hope I have one on the books as well and that's just how it is. You got to look after each other," explained Sasser.

"It's a great story because oftentimes what brings our people together is some type of tragedy," said Admiral Ratti.