PANAMA CITY, Fla. – When faced with uncertainty, people respond in various ways—some choose to flee, while others confront the challenge head-on. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Victoria Truppo, a personnel specialist with the 101st Air and Space Operations Group, saw a family in distress and sprang into action.
Truppo was paddleboarding with her daughter near Panama City, Florida, Feb. 24, 2024, when she noticed a 12-year-old boy struggling against the current while he was paddleboarding. While her daughter watched from the shore, Truppo paddled to the boy and attached him to her ankle string and towed him toward the rocks.
“I am not a great swimmer, but in a fight or fly situation, the mommy power took over and I was determined...
