A tradition will continue at Friday’s University of Nebraska – University of Iowa football game. Athletic directors from both teams will make a special presentation during half time honoring one resident from each state for remarkable acts of courage. Nebraska’s hero is Gene Willers. He is the president of Midwest Bank of Pilger and is credited with saving 8 lives during the June 16th tornado. The safest place in the century old building was the vault but it only locked from the outside.

Willers made sure eight people were safely inside the vault and then locked the door minutes before the tornado hit.

Shortly after everyone was reunited there was a threat the tornado turned and was heading back to Pilger. Willers again locked the others inside and took cover. Iowa’s citizen hero is 18 year old Austin Benson who provided lifesaving first aid to an injured friend.