Monday marks 18 years since a tragedy in Slippery Rock Creek took the lives of two men trying to rescue a kayaker.
To honor rescuers Tony Murdick and Scott Wilson, the Harris Bridge- located just a few miles outside of Portersville- was re-dedicated during a ceremony on Sunday.
Murdick and Wilson- both 25 at the time of the incident- were Unionville firefighters. They were called out on April 8, 2001 to recover the body of kayaker 23-year-old Niel Balcer of Marion Township who had flipped his kayak and become stuck underwater.
Both Murdick and Wilson had infant sons at their time of their deaths, and both young men attended Sunday’s ceremony. A new plaque now resides next to the bridge remembering the two heroes.
