Retired Ambassadors

A native of Media, Pennsylvania, Yeaw graduated from Penncrest High School in 1961. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Economics from Grove City College in northwest Pennsylvania in1965. His 50-year professional career is highlighted by his 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy, where he completed three operational platoon combat tours to the Republic of Vietnam with SEAL Team Two. He subsequently filled such positions as chief of staff of the Joint Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, N.C., and commanding officer of both Underwater Demolition Team 21 and SEAL Team Six, the world’s premier commando force, which killed Osama bin Laden and rescued Captain Phillips from the Somali pirates in the Maersk Alabama lifeboat. He served two tours in the Pentagon on the Special Operations staffs of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He earned a master’s degree in National Security Affairs from the Navy Postgraduate School, attended the Navy War College, and was the president of his class at the National War College. Yeaw retired as a captain in 1995 after having been awarded 45 medals and ribbons, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Navy Legion of Merit, two Defense and three Navy Meritorious Service medals, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, seven Vietnam Campaign medals, nine individual commendation medals with the Combat “V” for valor, including four Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart for multiple fragmentation grenade wounds.

Following his Navy career, Yeaw served seven years with the multi-million-dollar Research Planning Corporation professional services firm in Falls Church, Virginia. His service included duty as a program manager, director of the marketing department and vice-president of the Installations Operation division. Following his relocation to Florida, Yeaw concluded his professional career in 2015 following 13 years with the G4S Professional Armed Security Corporation, including service as the site security manager for two upscale gated residential communities.

In 2012 Yeaw was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate of Penncrest High School and was inducted into the Rose Tree Media School District Hall of Fame. In 2017 he was presented with the Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award by Grove City College.

Yeaw was recognized as a Project Lifesaver International ambassador in 2017 and was appointed as the director of ambassador relations in 2020. He lived with his wife, Shelley, in Port St. Lucie, Florida, which enabled him to attend PLI headquarters’s weekly meetings. He was the proud father of twin children and two grandchildren.

Year Recognized: 2017

Estrada won the hearts of fans across the world during his six years on the TV series “CHiPs.” Since then he has made numerous TV and motion picture appearances, yet the role he enjoys most is that of a role model to children throughout the world (www.erikestrada.com). By receiving this award, he will be helping many children with autism by spreading the word about this lifesaving program to others, in addition to helping adults with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and related cognitive conditions.

“Mr. Estrada is very supportive of law enforcement and of the services Project Lifesaver offers to clients and agencies,” Gene Saunders, chief executive officer of Project Lifesaver International, said of Estrada’s induction as official ambassador, “and we thought he would be a perfect ambassador to represent our cause and carry our mission.”

Year Recognized: 2009

If Jack Jacobs wanted a challenge, he certainly had one in 1966. He had a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a wife and a daughter, and no money. He had been through ROTC, and his plan was to enter active duty to earn a regular paycheck, then attend law school when his three-year Army commitment was finished. He volunteered immediately for airborne duty. A year later, Lieutenant Jacobs was in Vietnam as a adviser to a Vietnamese infantry battalion in the Mekong Delta. He had wanted to deploy with his unit, the 82nd Airborne Division, and when he asked the Army why he had been chosen for the frustrating job of adviser, he was told it was simply because he had a college degree.

On March 9, 1968, Jacobs was with the lead companies off his South Vietnamese battalion as they searched for the Vietcong. Suddenly a large enemy force hidden in bunkers only 50 yards away opened fire with mortars, rifles and machine guns. With no place to hide, many South Vietnamese soldiers were killed or wounded in the first few seconds. A mortar round that landed just a few feet away sent shrapnel tearing through the top of Jacobs’ head. Most of the bones in his face were broken, and he could see out of only one eye. He tried calling in air strikes, but the intense enemy ground fire drove off the U. S. fighters. Shortly afterward, the lead company commander was badly wounded, and the South Vietnamese troops began to panic. Jacobs assessed the situation and realized that if someone didn’t act quickly, everyone would be killed. The words of Hillel, the great Jewish philosopher, jumped into his mind: If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

He assumed control of the unit, ordering a withdrawal from the exposed position to a defensive perimeter. He dragged a wounded American sergeant riddled with chest and stomach wounds to safety, then returned to the fire-swept battlefield to rescue others. Each time he returned, he had to drive off the Vietcong; he single-handedly killed three and wounded many others. Despite from being weak from blood loss, he went back time and time again, bringing to safety thirteen fellow soldiers before he tried to take a brief rest – and discovered he couldn’t get up again. During the helicopter ride to the field hospital, he lost consciousness several times. Days later at another hospital, doctor’s pieced his skull and face together. Though he would undergo more than a dozen surgical operations, he never regained is senses of taste and smell.

Back in the United States, Jacobs was assigned to Fort Benning, where he became the commander of an Officer Candidate company. About a year after the action, he received an order to report to Washington, and on October 9, 1969, at a ceremony at the White House, President Richard Nixon awarded him the Medal of Honor. After completing graduate school at Rutgers University, where he earned an M.A. in international relations, Jacobs asked to return to Vietnam. The Army granted his request on the condition that he remain out of harm’s way. When he returned to Vietnam in July 1972, though, he immediately got himself assigned to the Vietnamese Airborne Division in the thick of fighting in Quand Tri. He walked away unscathed when the helicopter taking him to his unit was shot down, but he was subsequently wounded again.

Ultimately, he retired as a colonel after 20 years on active duty — quite a bit longer than the three years he had originally planned.

Year Recognized: 2010

SCOTT HECKERT NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST DRIVER BECOMES A PROJECT LIFESAVER AMBASSADOR

(Port. St. Lucie, FL, September 29, 2014) Over the past year the passion and hard work that Scott Heckert displayed for the sport of NASCAR motor racing has been obvious. The year has been a season of growth and success for Scott and his Turner Scott Motorsports team with two wins, qualifying for the pole position three times, one third place, and finishing in the top five, five times.

But racing is not his only passion. Scott has demonstrated a relentless dedication to help raise awareness of Project Lifesaver International (PLI) program and the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. On Friday, September 26th Chief Gene Saunders, PLI’s CEO and Chief Tommy Carter, PLI’s COS inducted Scott as a PLI Ambassador. Scott is only the fifth person to become a PLI Ambassador. Scott knows from personal experience about the challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Scott’s aunt, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and has wandering tendencies, is enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program.

“We are truly grateful to Scott and the rest of the Turner Scott Motorsports team for their support of Project Lifesaver. It is an honor to see the Project Lifesaver logo prominently displayed during the 2014 NASCAR racing season on the #34 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevy. We greatly appreciate both Scott and the Turner Scott Motorsports support and we are privileged to be part of Scott’s amazing journey. PLI will continue to support Scott and his team throughout his career,” said CEO/Founder, Gene Saunders of Project Lifesaver International.

Year Recognized: 2014