US Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association
Virgin Islander heroes Kashief Hamilton and Randolph Donovan, Jr. were honored this week by Carnival Cruise Line, The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) and local officials for rescuing a wheelchair-bound cruise passenger who accidentally fell off the WICO dock on St. Thomas last week.
The two men were acknowledged in a ceremony on board Carnival Fascination, the ship which carried the rescued passenger.
The ceremony honoring the heroic rescuers featured representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands and Carnival, including Sen. Myron Jackson of the Virgin Islands Legislature; Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of Tourism; Kevin Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office; and Captain Candeloro Donato.
Boschulte warmly commended the two heroes for going above the call of duty and for their selflessness. The men are members of the Department of Tourism’s Visitor Experience Team and welcome arriving guests.
“There is no greater love than laying down one’s life for one’s friends – in this case, these friends sprung into action to ensure a life was saved. We give thanks to them and to God for their selfless act of bravery, which has inspired our community in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the world at large,” Boschulte stated.