Ann Curry now knows for sure how true the Boy Scouts’ “Be Prepared” motto is.
A troop of New Jersey Boy Scouts rescued the NBC News anchor when she broke her ankle during a hike at Harriman State Park in upstate New York last month.
According to Scouting magazine, Troop 368 from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, were out hiking on April 5th when they spotted Curry at a trail intersection. They didn’t recognize Curry—and she told them to go ahead without her—but the troop wouldn’t hear of it. Scouter Rick Jurgens said he didn’t even have to prompt the boys to help.
“They splinted it up perfectly,” said Jurgens, a professional firefighter and EMT.
But the splint wasn’t enough—they still had to get Curry down the mountain—and she couldn’t walk. Jurgen said “with no help from me,” they boys started collecting pieces of wood to a makeshift stretcher—which they eventually made out of two large sticks and tarp. Jurgens and another adult helped guide the Scouts down the mountain.
Jurgens said Curry was “in a good mood” and asked them about their camping trip. Curry’s husband and son went ahead to get their SUV, and Curry’s husband thanked the Scouts before they left. Then, Jurgens told the boys who they had rescued.
The boys were completely shocked they had rescued a famous journalist—and one didn’t even believe Jurgens. And then last week, Jurgens got a phone call from Curry herself, and she got the addresses of everyone there that day. She sent each one a hand-written letter thanking for their “skill and professionalism.”
On May 9, Curry tweeted: “If you break a leg on a mountain, I hope Boy Scout Troop 368 finds you. Boy am I glad they found me.”
