LEWES, Del. - What began as a celebration of senior night for the Cape Henlopen High School boys lacrosse team turned into a special recognition for one Viking whose heroics extended far beyond the field.
Cape Henlopen senior Mathew Popovich was honored Wednesday night with an American Red Cross lifesaving award for his actions last summer at Rehoboth Beach, where he helped save a struggling swimmer.
Mathew Popovich was honored Wednesday night with an American Red Cross lifesaving award for his actions last summer at Rehoboth Beach, where he helped save a struggling swimmer.
Popovich, known to friends and teammates as “Pop,” works summers at a beach rental stand in Rehoboth Beach. During an early morning shift last summer, he heard commotion coming from the water and immediately sprang into action.
“All of a sudden he hears a bit of a commotion on the beach,” said Dean Popovich, Mathew’s father. “He looks up. He sees somebody struggling out on the beach. Without one response of hesitation, he grabs a board out of his shack stand, runs out, jumps on the board and paddles out.”
His parents, Dean and Jackie Popovich, said they were proud of their son’s instinct to help someone in danger.
“He did what a proud dad would want to say,” Dean Popovich said. “Somebody was in some type of struggle and he went out there, responded. I can’t ask for anything more. That’s what we would hope that we created.”
At halftime of the Vikings’ senior night game, the American Red Cross recognized Popovich with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action.
Theresa Young of the Delmarva Peninsula American Red Cross said the award honors individuals who take lifesaving action even without formal emergency response training.
“Mathew was given the Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action,” Young said. “What that means is he was not necessarily Red Cross-trained, but he stepped out of his realm to go and save a life without the necessary training they might have.”
Young said she hopes Mathew’s bravery inspires others, especially young people, to step up in moments of crisis.
“One of the nice things about awarding someone of his age is that we’re able to help other people see that anyone can step in and try and save a life,” Young said. “Mathew, not having the absolute responsibility or duty to save a life, still stepped out to do so. At his age, or any age, people can help save a life.”
For one night, the spotlight at Cape Henlopen was supposed to shine on seniors finishing their lacrosse careers. Instead, it also honored a young man who proved heroes do not always wear capes, sometimes they wear a lacrosse helmet.
