Georgia man who died trying to save others named a Carnegie hero

This week, Burkett was posthumously awarded a Carnegie Medal, given to those in the U.S. and Canada who risk death or serious physical injury while attempting to save others. The awards date back to 1904, when a coal mine disaster in the Pittsburgh suburbs inspired steelmaker Andrew Carnegie to formalize the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. Of the 15 most recent recipients, Burkett is the only one from Georgia. The recipients or their survivors receive grant money, according to the commission.

“It’s unbelievable and it’s very fitting for him,” Harvey said.

Burkett worked at Diversified Fabricators in Griffin, a company that manufactures construction and agricultural equipment. When he wasn’t at his main job, Burkett would help out on Harvey’s farm in Lamar County, working on mechanical jobs are anything that was needed.

“We considered him family,” Harvey said.

The year before he was killed, Burkett had survived a tornado that ripped through the Forsyth area.

“It was a force like I’d never felt before in my life,” Burkett told a Macon television station in April 2020. “The worst five, 10 seconds of my life. Thought it was going to be the end of it, but somehow I managed to survive.”

He had been trapped for about an hour in the rubble, but his beloved dog Kiah survived, WGXA reported at the time. His Jeep was destroyed, and Burkett later got a truck complete with a fitting license plate that read “Twister,” Harvey said.

Burkett lived in a small home on the Treadwell property, and he considered the family like his own, Harvey said. He and another friend were repairing a fence when the two heard Hall’s SUV kicking up gravel while leaving.

The two men ran toward the SUV, which was somehow stuck on the tracks, and were able to pry open the passenger door. Due to a curve in the track, the freight train was only visible about 300 feet from the SUV, according to investigators.

When his friend moved away from the tracks, Burkett stayed and died trying to save his two friends.

Earlier that day, Hall had placed two white angel wreaths where Treadwell would see them when they returned home later that evening, according to Treadwell’s daughter, Cheryl Treadwell. Her mother never had the chance to see them.

“She sees them from heaven,” Cheryl said.

“This is a tragic loss for all three families and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers,” the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media after the crash. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families.”

More than 300 hundred people commented on the Facebook post about the tragedy, which devastated the community.

“All dear friends of mine,” one woman posted. “May you all rest in peace. You will be truly missed.”

Several weeks after his death, family and friends gathered on Harvey’s farm for a celebration of Burkett’s life. Burkett’s brother had some patches and stickers made in his honor, complete with a tornado image.

Those stickers are still visible on his farm, a simple reminder of a simple man, Harvey said. If he had survived, Burkett likely wouldn’t have been a fan of all the attention.

“He would probably say, ‘Thank y’all, I appreciate it. I gotta get back to work,’” Harvey said. “He was just a very simple, honest, hardworking guy. That’s it. Nothing fancy. Very simple.”

For Cheryl Treadwell, there is peace in knowing that the three friends died together. She feels certain they are together in heaven.

“I know that they are all up there together,” she said. “They were close here on Earth and they are close in the afterlife. It’s a happy ending.”

NOMINATE A HERO

To nominate someone for the Carnegie Medal, complete a nomination form online or write to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, 436 Seventh Ave., Suite 1101, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. More information on the Carnegie Medal and the history of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission can be found at carnegiehero.org.