When 6-year-old Bryce Rader slipped completely off a chairlift at a Virginia ski resort, the only thing keeping him from falling 16 feet to the ground was his 10-year-old friend.
His name is Major Metzger and he is a hero.
Little Major reached out, grabbed his friend and for roughly four minutes he held Bryce by both arms with his gloved hands until ski patrol could get into position below.
More than a year later, Major has been formally presented with the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger presented the medal to Major during a ceremony in Virginia Beach on Sept. 16. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission had previously announced Major as one of its 2026 medal recipients in March.
Four Minutes Hanging From a Chairlift
The rescue happened Jan. 26, 2025, at a Wintergreen Resort in Nellysford, Virginia.
Bryce and Major were riding a four-person chairlift with their sisters when Bryce had trouble getting securely onto the seat.
According to the Carnegie Hero Fund’s official account, Bryce was wearing skis and a helmet and continued sliding as the chair began moving uphill.
Major grabbed him and tried to pull him back onto the seat.
Before the lift could be completely stopped, Bryce slipped entirely off.
The bottom of the chair was about 16 feet above rugged, sloped terrain. Major, who was also wearing skis and a helmet, leaned forward and held Bryce’s arms with both hands.
And he kept holding on.
Ski patrol eventually arrived below the chair with a safety mat. After roughly four minutes of dangling from the lift, Bryce was told to drop.
He landed on the pad, bounced off and suffered only a small bump on his head. Medical staff evaluated him, but he did not require further treatment.
Major’s arms were sore and he was shaken, but he was also uninjured. He remained on the chair with the other children and rode it to the top.
Bryce later summed up Major’s actions pretty simply.
“He saved my life.”
North America’s Highest Civilian Heroism Honor
The Carnegie Medal is awarded to people in the United States and Canada who place themselves in extraordinary danger while saving or attempting to save another person’s life.
The Carnegie Hero Fund was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1904. As of Major’s award announcement in March, the organization had recognized 10,563 people with the medal.
The Hero Fund said Major made a conscious decision to expose himself to danger in order to protect his friend.
Spanberger presented the medal in front of Major’s family, school officials and local leaders.
Major is now a student at Virginia Beach Middle School, but he was only 10 years old when the rescue happened.
His actions are particularly remarkable considering what he was dealing with at the time. He was wearing ski gear, seated on a moving chairlift and holding the full weight of another child dangling below him.
There was no time to prepare. He simply grabbed his friend and refused to let go. Cheers to young Major, we salute you!
