Md. Veteran Killed In Flood Honored Through Scholarship Fund
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The friends and family of the National Guardsman who was swept away by the floodwaters in Ellicott City have set up a scholarship fund in his honor.
The money will be awarded annually by the Restaurant Association of Maryland.
Eddison "Eddie" Hermond was one of the first employees at Victoria Restaurant Group in Howard County and he worked his way up to management.
The scholarship was set up in hopes of continuing his legacy of service and love for the hospitality industry.
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Hermond — a father, son and Air Force veteran — died a hero Sunday night after springing into action and fighting the raging Tiber River to save a stranger and her cat from violent flash floods.
"When you get someone like Sgt. Hermond, you can see where they forget all about safety for themselves," said National Guard Major General Linda Singh. "To be able to save someone else...and I'm extremely proud of what he's done for this country."
First responders discovered his body more than a mile away, in the Patapsco River Tuesday afternoon.
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WJZ spoke with Hermond's aunt, Nina Cooper, who says they spent the day together on Saturday. She added that he was on the verge of retiring from the National Guard.
"We were glad that we got a chance to spend just a moment with him before all this tragedy took place," she said.
Cooper said the loss is unbearable, but the support from the community hasn't gone unnoticed.
"To see him and now he's gone, it is a shock, it is a shock. But wow, the love and support from the community, it's amazing," she said.
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