Staunton River State Park Manager Josh Ellington a hero

State Sen. Bill Stanley Jr., 19th District, and Delegate James Edmunds call Staunton River State Park Manager Josh Ellington a hero.

Photo credit Joe Chandler/Gazette-Virginian

The pair of legislators honored Ellington in a brief ceremony at the park office Wednesday, presenting him a copy of a Senate Joint Resolution commending him for his actions when an F2 tornado hit the park April 16.



In the resolution, Ellington was commended for his “dedication to the safety of Staunton River State Park guests” as he took “decisive action that helped protect guests from harm or fatal injuries in the midst of a powerful tornado.”



Stanley, who introduced the resolution passed by both houses of the General Assembly April 27-28, explained that he saw the devastation to the park the day after the tornado struck while working with a Mecklenburg Electric Co-op crew and spoke to Ellington about what happened when the tornado struck.



“He did so (talked about the storm) in a matter-of-fact kind of way, a way which showed that he clearly thought he was doing nothing more than his job and would have done it 10 times out of 10,” Stanley said.



“I was moved and inspired by that act of heroism. I felt compelled to try to make sure he was recognized for his work.”

Read this article in its entirety here and see why Ranger Ellington is now called "A Hero" in The Gazette-Virginian online.

Note – This story was in many newspapers. Here are a few other media sources if you are interested in reading more about this amazing Park Ranger. Everyone loves a hero! We sure do, thank you Ranger Ellington for all that you do, each and every day.