By Rubin E. Grant
Ethan Hill was too young to remember much about his first trip to Washington, D.C., but he probably won’t ever forget his recent visit to the nation’s capital.
“It was a really cool experience to go to D.C.,” Hill said. “I got to go to all the monuments and museums.”
Hill’s trip wasn’t all about sightseeing. He was there for a special occasion and a prestigious award.
The 13-year-old, eighth grade Altamont School student is one of only five individuals and one organization to earn the 2024 Citizen Honors Award presented by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
The society – a congressionally-chartered organization of the 63 living recipients of the nation’s most prestigious award for valor in combat –hosted the honorees in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on National Medal of Honor Day, March 25.
Society members selected Hill as a 2024 Youth Service Honoree in recognition of his service to the homeless community in and around Birmingham through his Ethan’s Heart Bags4Blessings organization.
“I know it’s not just me being recognized – it’s the work I’m doing,” Hill said. “With that recognition comes more support for those who are on the streets who really need it.”
Hill began servicing the homeless when he was just 6 years old. On his ride to school one day, Hill saw a homeless man, whom he later came to know as Mr. Marcus, sitting under the freeway.
“I wanted to know why he was there,” Hill said. “I knew it wasn’t right. It didn’t sit right with me. I spent my $100 Christmas money and bought supplies for him and those like him.”
That inspired Hill to hand out supplies to people in need, calling it “Ethan’s Heart–Bags4Blessings.”
“It started with one person and I thought it would be a one-time thing and it’s turned into a really big thing of doing good,” Hill said. “We recently had a service day and handed out supplies to more than 100 people before we ran out of stuff.”
In seven years, Hill’s organization has grown to the point it takes a trailer and a storage facility just to hold all the donations, such as toiletries, water and sleeping bags. He estimates his organization has distributed 5,000 care packages to those in need and the numbers keep growing.
“It’s really just about helping people and seeing the look on their faces, knowing what we’re doing is going to be beneficial to them in some way,” Hill said.
Sacrifice and Service
Launched in 2007, the Citizen Honors Awards program reflects the mission of Medal of Honor recipients to show that the values associated with the Medal of Honor are relevant to all Americans.
The tradition also is in keeping with the preference of recipients to shine a light on others rather than themselves, as they believe that the Medals of Honor they were awarded should be seen more broadly as a symbol of the sacrifices and service of others.
This year’s honorees are credited with saving victims during the fires in Lahaina, Hawaii, disarming a mass shooter in Los Angeles, and performing acts of service benefiting those with autism and veteran communities.
“Ethan brings so much awareness of homelessness in this community,” Altamont Head of School Cecil Stodghill said in the society’s video introduction to Hill’s work. “To see that a teenager can have such an impact really pushes others to say, ‘I can do that, I want to do that, I should do that.’”
Hill has spoken at a virtual United Nations event in Vienna and was recognized as a “10 Under 20 Food Hero.” He also traveled to New York during the summer as part of a conference for global change makers.
Hill plans to go to college and hopes to one day expand his organization into surrounding states.
Ebony Hill, Ethan’s mother, is still processing what her son’s prestigious Citizen Honors Award means.
“I really don’t have the words for it yet,” she said. “It’s something we’re proud of. Ethan never sees what he’s doing as anything big, but what’s necessary and needed. This brings a light to his cause and shows us his work is not going unnoticed.”
The awards event followed a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a dinner that introduced honorees to society members. Hill had the privilege of meeting Medal of Honor Recipient retired Army Capt. Paris D. Davis. Davis was unable to present Hill’s award as scheduled, so Medal of Honor recipient retired Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore A. Giunta took that role. Giunta is the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor in the 21st century.
“Medal of Honor recipients know that there are many Americans who share the values we seek to promote through our outreach, and we think it is important to hold them up as role models for others,” Medal of Honor recipient and society President Britt Slabinski said at the ceremony. “Their self-sacrifice embodies the American spirit and shows that the opportunity to serve others does not require a military uniform.”
For Hill, the award means his service will receive a boost.
“It means we get more donations, more volunteers and we get to help more people,” he said.
A video about Hill’s Youth Service Award can be found on the society’s website, cmohs.org. Click on the Video Library link, then choose the category ‘Citizen Honors’ for the year 2024.
Hill’s organization can be found at ethansheartbham.org.
Other Awardees
In addition to Hill, the 2024 honorees include:
Riley Coon of Wailuku, Hawaii, was selected as a Single Act of Heroism Honoree for his act of heroism on Jan. 21, 2023, when he answered the call from the Coast Guard to use his vessels in saving the lives of people trying to escape the inferno in Lahaina. Riley led his team into harm’s way with 80 mph winds close to shore and intense heat coming from land. They were instrumental in saving lives.
Brandon Tsay of San Marino, California, was selected as a Single Act of Heroism Honoree for his act of heroism on Aug. 9, 2023, when he disarmed the Monterey Park, California, mass shooter at the Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio in Alhambra, California, during Lunar New Year celebrations.
Austen Macmillan of Wellington, Florida, was selected as the Young Hero Honoree for his act of heroism on Sept. 4, 2023, when he pulled his behavioral therapist from a swimming pool and performed CPR after he attempted to show the boy how long he could hold his breath underwater.
Danny Combs of Golden, Colorado, was selected as the Service Act Honoree for his work to create better lives for those with autism. Inspired by his son, Dylan, Danny started Teaching the Autism Community Trades to create authentic training that leads to careers. His program has become the most successful training-to-employment program for the autism community in Colorado.
America’s VetDogs, in Smithtown, New York, was selected as the Community Service Honoree for providing enhanced mobility and renewed independence to veterans, active-duty service members and first responders with disabilities, allowing them to live with pride and self-reliance once again. America’s VetDogs uses a meticulous matching program to ensure that each recipient is matched with the dog that best suits that person’s mobility, personality, lifestyle and physical needs.
