Victor Greenawalt, the brave young boy who shielded a fellow student from gunfire during the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis last fall was honored last week for his heroism and courage.  

Many recall the harrowing account told to local media on the day of the shooting, Aug. 27, 2025, by his friend, fellow fifth-grader Weston Halsne:  

"My friend Victor saved me, though, because he laid on top of me. But he got hit. ... He’s really brave."  

During the active-shooter situation that claimed the lives of two students and left 24 other children and three adults injured, Greenawalt did not run away, but protected his friend.  

Halsne told media at the time that there was gunpowder on his neck since he was so close to the stained-glass windows that were shattered as the gunman opened fire inside the church where the entire school, about 395 students, were present during back-to-school Mass.  

Hearing the shots ring out left Halsne panicking. He “ran under the pew” for safety, but it wasn’t long before Greenawalt protected him in a most extraordinary way.  

“My friend was lying on top of me, making sure I was safe, and he got hit.” 

Two children, 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, were killed in the attack, and the amazing story of Sophia Forcas surviving her wounds has offered a glimmer of hope amid that tragic day. 

And now the courage of young Victor has come to light. He and his sister were both wounded in the attack and were “facing a long road to recovery,” the family’s GoFundMe page reported.  

During an awards ceremony on March 25, Greenawalt was presented with the 2026 Young Hero Citizen Honors Award at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington.  

Former Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter, who presented the award to Victor and his family, spoke of his bravery:  

“In a moment of sudden and life-threatening danger, Victor Greenawalt demonstrated extraordinary courage beyond his years. Without hesitation, he acted to shield a fellow student from harm, placing himself between danger and another. His instinct to protect, even at personal risk, reflects a depth of character and selflessness that embodies the very values the Medal of Honor represents.” 

In a moving video that played during the awards ceremony, Victor’s family and friends reflect on his courage and the day that has changed them all forever. Victor also speaks about himself, sitting in his bedroom surrounded by sport trophies and Star Wars posters, saying, “My friends would say that I am funny, helpful and focused.”  

Minnesota State trooper Eric Ouellette, who arrived on the scene that day, was the first to find Victor wounded: “As I’m running up, I see Victor. ... First words out of his mouth were, ‘Thank you for your service.’  

“And the teacher helped him move, and that’s when I saw the wounds to the back of his head and the back itself. We’re getting the bandages out and placing them on the back of his head.”  

And it’s in these dire moments that Officer Ouellette recalled what the 10-year-old hero asked him: “He turns to me and he asks me if he’s going to live.” 

Visibly fighting back tears, the state trooper said, “I mean, what do you say to a 10-year-old kid that asks that?” 

Victor’s mother, Annie Greenawalt, mentions her son's integrity saying, “He’s a good friend. It’s pretty common for him to be looking out for someone.”  

Vic’s father Zac added, “He really shines when someone is in need.”  

Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matthew DeBoer said, “Victor is just one of the most authentic children that I’ve ever encountered.” 

“As a parent, you try to raise your kid to do good things,” Annie Greenawalt reflected. “And I’m sad that he had that opportunity, but so proud of him. I hate that my kids know such an awful thing at a young age, and it’s changed them. So it’s hopeful to see the good in it, but it’s really hard.”  

Katie Halsne, Weston’s mom, noted how Victor "acted incredibly bravely and instinctively, and his nature is to be loving and protective, and he did that that day, and it wasn’t just Weston that he shielded. There were other children as well.”  

Young Weston added, “I honestly didn’t really know what happened; and for him to do that, was crazy. If one friend did that, it would for sure, be him.”  

DeBoer spoke about the young boy’s presence, saying, “Victor, having been there, brought some comfort to people that day, and his bravery, his courage really shined forth, not just for the children, but for those first responders that showed up. And to basically have a child ministering to them on one of the hardest days of their careers …”  

The Young Hero Citizen Honors Award is given annually, awarded to Americans age 17 or younger “for their courage in a dire situation,” according to the Medal of Honor Society’s website. 

Noting Greenawalt’s bravery, a press release announcing this year’s recipient said, “His courage and selflessness became a powerful symbol of hope and humanity for a community in crisis.” 

As we reflect on the courage of this young man and the witness he now shows to others, may we learn from his sacrificial love and remember the words of Jesus: “No greater love one has than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”