Cape Eagle Scout praised as hero for saving mom, sister

Statistics indicate that Eagle Scouts are outstanding. Less than 2 percent of all Boy Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

But even among Eagle Scouts, Grant Hengst of Cape Girardeau stands out.

The 19-year-old stood among 93 Boy Scouts from the region recognized Saturday at Academic Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University campus for earning the merit badges necessary to become Eagle Scouts. Hengst was awarded his Eagle Scout rank when he was 16. However, on Saturday he was the only one given an honor medal for heroism for saving the lives of his family.

Sometime before 6 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2004, a log rolled out of a fireplace at 734 W. Rodney Drive and toppled the fireplace screen. The living room sofa caught fire, and flames began to spread.

Hengst, along with his mother, LaDonna, and sister, LeAnne, were still in bed. Richard Hengst had left for work. The fire woke up Grant.

"My eyes snapped open because of the brightness and the heat of the fire," Grant Hengst said Saturday. "I was scared, but knew I had to control my emotions since my dad had already left for work and my mom and sister would need me."

Hengst had already laid out and practiced three fire escape routes from his family's three-story home as a requirement for a safety merit badge.

Putting his plan into practice, Hengst grabbed his cell phone and located his mother and sister, who he said were disoriented by the smoke. Hengst said he was struggling with the smoke himself, but was able to get them to crawl below the smoke and lead his family outside.

After making it outside and calling 911, Hengst went back in. He said he had to save the family's pets too.

Cape Girardeau Troop 5 Scoutmaster Jerry Hampton said he heard the address of the fire on a police scanner when he was driving to Fredericktown, Mo., for a business meeting on the day of the fire.

"I thought, fiddle, that's one of my kids," Hampton said. "After work, I went straight to the house where they were all standing around salvaging what they could. I followed Richard, the dad, inside and it dawned on us while walking through that Grant had saved everybody's lives. I then called and applied for Grant to receive the award."

Others also reached out to help the Hengsts.

Central High School staff and students took up donations to help the family out, and the soccer team replaced Grant's prized letter jacket.

"When they gave it to me it brought tears to my eyes," said Grant Hengst, who is now a premed student at Rockhurst Jesuit University in Kansas City. "I had no clue. It was unbelievable how many people helped us out. The fire brought us all closer together. I learned never to take my family for granted."

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133