The Mankato (Minn.) Department of Public Safety honored Drew Neumann, DDS, March 22 with the Medal of Valor, the city's highest honor, for saving a woman from a burning car, The Free Press reported.
Dr. Neumann, a dentist at Advanced Dental Mankato, pulled Lois Martinson, 78, from her burning car Aug. 25 after spotting flames underneath her car. He honked and yelled until he got the woman's attention and she pulled over.
The dentist was able to safely pull Ms. Martinson out of the car before it was completely engulfed. She was hospitalized and treated for non-life-threatening burns on her legs. Ms. Martinson paid a visit to Dr. Neumann's office in December to thank him.
She died in March from a heart condition unrelated to the August incident.
The award honors "exemplary and heroic acts" taken "under adverse conditions without hesitation or regard for personal safety," The Free Press reported.
"I was just the first one to get to her," Dr. Neumann told the news outlet. "I'm just glad that I was able to be there to help her."