Mitchell, South Dakota — The Davison County courtroom, packed with families and first responders, reflected on a fire that occurred earlier this spring.
Two of the people in the room had no idea the so-called “meeting” was for them.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Office presented Life Saving awards to former jail sergeant Shawn Jerke and his son, Deputy Trestin Jerke, for their heroic response to an April trailer home fire.
“As soon as we got into the structure, I just started yelling out and trying to see if anybody was home,” Trestin said. “We found two occupants asleep in their bedroom in the back of the trailer.”
The family dog was also on the property.
“Their vehicles were parked really close to the trailer house and we didn’t want them to start fire and maybe cause an explosion,” Shawn Jerke told me. “We got the car keys out, moved the vehicles and then the fire department arrived on scene.”
Both men were taken completely by surprise when they were recognized on Wednesday.
“I walked up here, and I immediately saw my family and I was like, oh, there’s something goofy going on here,” recalled Trestin. “Then, I saw the award sitting up front and I was like, I think I know what’s going on.”
Before calling the two heroes forward, the Davison County Sheriff described what happened that evening.
But perhaps the most moving moment of the day was hearing about the impact on the lives saved that evening.
David and Alyssa Sweet, who were rescued from the burning trailer home, have vivid memories of the night.
“When he kicked the door in, the whole back room started to fill with smoke- a black cloud of smoke was coming in through the door,” Alyssa Sweet told me.
Because of Shawn and Trestin Jerke, the couple made it out of the house alive, making this afternoon emotional.
“That made me cry when I found out we’re all sitting here together,” Alyssa told me.
The Sweets were treated for minor injuries that night but, unfortunately, lost their home to the fire. While they are still working to recover what they have lost, they are extremely grateful to be recognized as heroes.
“They both deserve it, for sure,” David Sweet stated. “If it wouldn’t have been for them, I probably would not be standing here.”
