Tea Scouts honored for lifesaving actions during Kansas City emergency

Three members of Tea’s Scout Troop 99 were recently recognized for their quick thinking and lifesaving actions after coming to the aid of an injured man during the troop’s return trip from summer camp last year.

The Scouts were honored during the troop’s Court of Honor in May of this year for their actions on June 28, 2025, at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. According to troop leaders, the awards are among Scouting’s highest recognitions for meritorious service and are presented only in exceptional circumstances.

Receiving awards were Eagle Scouts Atley Ehrich and Stephanie Harvill and Life Scout Sean Kolker. The troop is chartered through the American Legion in Tea.

According to a report prepared by the troop, the group had just exited an elevator near the museum’s memorial courtyard at approximately 1 p.m. when they heard someone calling for help. Ehrich, Harvill and Kolker immediately ran toward the cries, accompanied by Scoutmaster Patrick Kolker.

Ehrich and Harvill were the first to reach the scene, where they found an elderly man, Eurshel Murphy, lying on the ground with his wife, Sharon Murphy, nearby. The area was secluded, and no one else was immediately available to assist.

After quickly assessing the situation, Ehrich discovered that Murphy had suffered a serious injury to his hand and pinkie finger, with significant bleeding and an exposed bone. Without access to a first aid kit, Ehrich removed her flannel shirt and used it to apply direct pressure to the wound in an effort to control the bleeding while she and Harvill continued assessing him for additional injuries.

Meanwhile, Sean Kolker ran to locate museum personnel and quickly found a security guard, who contacted one of the museum’s first responders. Scoutmaster Patrick Kolker comforted Murphy’s wife and learned that Murphy was taking blood-thinning medication, information that proved important for emergency responders.

When the museum’s first responder arrived, he assessed Murphy’s condition and recommended calling 911. Patrick Kolker immediately contacted emergency services while Harvill volunteered to meet the arriving ambulance and guide paramedics to the secluded location.

As emergency personnel treated Murphy, Ehrich continued assisting with first aid. After the ambulance arrived and Murphy was transported to the hospital, Ehrich also comforted Sharon Murphy by offering her a hug while she waited to accompany her husband.

Because Ehrich’s flannel shirt had absorbed a significant amount of blood while controlling the injury, museum personnel confiscated it as a precaution against the spread of bloodborne pathogens.

Later that evening, Patrick Kolker contacted Sharon Murphy to check on her husband’s condition. Murphy had been transported to a trauma center, where doctors treated his severe finger injury, multiple abrasions and elevated blood pressure before releasing him later that evening. He was scheduled for follow-up orthopedic care after returning home to Ohio.

In a statement following the incident, Eurshel Murphy praised the Scouts’ actions.

“If the scouts had not come to my rescue, I would have been in dire straits, and possibly in a life-threatening situation,” Murphy said. “It was reassuring to have prompt help in a time of need. I was proud of everyone who assisted me. It was reassuring to know that caring and capable young people came to my aid. They were truly my Good Samaritans.”

For their actions, Ehrich and Harvill each received the National Certificate of Merit, while Kolker received the Council Certificate of Merit.

Scoutmaster Nedean Anderson of Troop 99 noted these awards are not handed out lightly. Scout Troop 99 will also celebrate its 90th anniversary on Oct. 17, 2026. Founded in 1936, the troop is planning a Dutch oven cook-off, flag retirement ceremony and troop open house for current and former Scouts. Watch for more information in future issues of Tea Weekly.