Everyday heroes often go unsung, but Travis McMasters wanted to make sure his own personal Good Samaritan got the recognition he deserved.

At a Rhea County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency officers Burton Capps and Brian Letner presented a plaque to Rick McMillan of Evensville for his quick thinking and selfless, life-saving efforts to rescue McMasters and three other men whose boat capsized on the Tennessee River the weekend after Christmas.

McMasters joined the TWRA officers as they presented McMillan with the award, adding an emotional thank-you of his own. He admitted that cold, windy conditions had made it dangerous for anyone to be on the water that day, but was glad that McMillan's dedication to fishing had put him in the right place at the right time.

According to TWRA officer Matt Majors, the four men had been duck hunting on the river just south of the Hwy. 60 bridge on the Meigs/Rhea County line when large waves swamped their boat. When the boat capsized, the men were left clinging to the overturned craft in the 30-degree water. Two of the men were able to swim to a nearby duck blind, but early stages of hypothermia soon set in.

McMillan's boat was the only other one the men had seen all day on the water, but fortunately for them, he passed by and noticed their plight.

Risking his own safety, McMillan loaded the freezing men into his own boat and was able to help them to the shore.

"His quick actions sure did save the lives of these four men," Majors said.

Elisabeth Hollingsworth can be reached at elisabeth.hollingsworth@rheaheraldnews.com.