12/17/2025
We proudly celebrated Seth O’Donnell of Gladstone at the Gladstone Fire Department with the Stark County Spirit of Excellence Award.
Seth O’Donnell is known as a hard worker and a dedicated emergency responder. But the actions we recognized did not happen while he was on duty. They happened simply because he saw a need and answered it.
Off duty, without hesitation, Seth stepped in to help an 84-year-old woman named Barb Beggs of Taylor during a life-threatening emergency. He offered calm, compassion, and reassurance. He held her hand, kept her alert, and stayed with her until emergency responders arrived. Because of his selfless actions during those moments, Barb survived and she is with us today.
Submitted nomination:
"It was a sunny clear Friday morning in August 2024 when my mom was driving home from Dickinson after getting some groceries heading west on Hwy 10. She veered into the westbound lane. There was a semi and trailer heading east. The driver saw her coming, he applied his brakes and veered to the right towards the north ditch to avoid the collision but was unable to. My mom's car came to rest in the south ditch of Hwy. 10 facing northwest. Both vehicles had extensive front-end damage. There were many people that helped with the outcome of that day from the semi-driver, who had some minor injuries himself; to our pastor who was heading out for a day of fishing and came upon it; the Highway Patrol and the Stark County Sheriffs that diverted traffic; Ray Kaylor's willingness to give me a ride to the emergency room; the Dickinson Ambulance Service; and the Dickinson Rural Fire and Rescue, who used the jaws of life to extract my mom from her car. If I missed anyone, I apologize. But, there was one man that I believe is very deserving of the Stark County Spirit of Excellence Award.
Seth O’Donnell lived in the subdivision close to where the accident occurred and from what I understood was at the scene within a minute or so of it happening. As we waited for the emergency vehicles to arrive at the scene, he crawled into the back seat of my mom's car. He supported her right hand in his after she complained of how it hurt so much. He kept talking to her calmly and reassured her. He asked her what she had been doing in town? What she was baking for? He even discussed politics with her to get her riled up a bit and to stay alert. He obviously had some training and if I remember correctly served on the Gladstone Rural Fire Department at the time, but that particular Friday, he was just a concerned young man that gave of himself to help save a life.
My mom had some very extensive injuries; a cracked vertebrae in her neck, a broken sternum, broken right wrist, broken left hip, a shattered pelvis, several cracked ribs, a brain bleed, and some internal bleeding in her abdomen. When Dr. Cassidy talked to us in the ER, we were told the chances of her surviving with the bleeding and extensive injuries that she had were very slim. She was airlifted to Fargo and was in critical condition for several days, had two major surgeries and several other procedures. After two weeks in Fargo, five weeks at Vibra in Mandan, 100 days in St. Benedict’s in Dickinson, and months hard work in OT and PT, mom is walking and living life again. Mom doesn't remember much of that day or the first several months following for that matter, but she has mentioned the man who held her hand and talked to her many times. I give God the glory that I still have my mom, but I also believe that if that young man wouldn't have been at the scene when he was and kept her conscious the outcome may have been different."
Even one person’s actions can ripple out and touch many lives. Congratulations, Seth! You are an incredibly humble man and we couldn’t have been more grateful to celebrate you this evening.
📸: Lynette Locken Photography
starkcountysheriffnd.com/spirit-of-excellence-award
