High school security officer, football coach receives Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s citizen award
PORTLAND, Ore. March 31 2020— Keanon Lowe has again been recognized for his heroic actions nearly a year ago at Northeast Portland’s Parkrose High School, this time being awarded the Citizen Honor Award by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
The organization announced last week that Lowe was one of six individual recipients of the award. The award is given to civilians who “exemplify the values embodied in the Medal of Honor: courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, citizenship and patriotism.”
In May of 2019, Lowe, who was a football coach and security guard at Parkrose High School, disarmed a student who brought a gun to school. No one ended up being hurt. Lowe’s quick action to prevent a possible tragedy immediately garnered praise from the Portland community.
That praised turned into admiration for the former Oregon Ducks wide receiver when surveillance video was released in October showing that Lowe not only disarmed the student but hugged him in a powerful display of compassion.
In an interview during the spring of 2019, Lowe said about the confrontation, “In that time I felt compassion for him. I had a real life conversation. Obviously, he broke down and I wanted him to know I was there for him. I told him I was there to save him, I was there for a reason, and this is a life worth living.”
The surveillance video went viral as people from across the world were commending Lowe’s heroic actions. College Gameday, ESPN’s premier college football show, produced a 7-minute piece showcasing Lowe’s heroism. He was also named one of TIME Magazine’s Heroes of the Year.
Lowe, after leading Parkrose to its first football playoff win last season, is now the head football coach at West Linn High School.
