Gov. Mike Parson presented 18 first responders and six civilians with awards and honors Monday for extraordinary acts of service in 2018.
During a ceremony at the Missouri Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Training Academy Gymnasium in Jefferson City, Parson and Sandy Karsten, director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, presented the awards and shared the stories of why each person was nominated.
Parson told the crowd of first responders, honorees and their families how much he appreciated their sacrifices and willingness to help.
"As I read through the articles of the people we're honoring this morning, the sacrifices they make for other people that you'll never know, never see, you'll never meet, but you're willing to do that every day for somebody that you don't know," Parson said.
Karsten pointed out that the honorees were just an example of the rest of the first responders in the state.