Collingdale Hero Anthony Alexander Jr. Honored With Bench, Plaque and Painting
Anthony Alexander Jr. was 16 when he rescued two children who fell into icy water in a Collingdale Park pond on Feb. 21, 2022.
Alexander was lauded as a hero. But his life was cut short by an accidental gunshot last January. He was watching an Eagles game with his friends playing with a loaded gun at a party.
But Alexander will not be forgotten.
An event is planned for 9 a.m. to noon on Sept. 9 at Collingdale Park near the pond where he saved the children from drowning. A bench and plaque will be dedicated in his honor. By all accounts, Alexander was a modest young man who wanted to join the Marine Corps after high school.
After rescuing the children, his grandmother said he told her, “I was just glad I was there.”
New York-based artist Steve Alpert met Anthony Alexander Sr. and his wife Ava at a dinner in Washington, D.C., in March, where Anthony Jr. was posthumously presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Young Hero award. After watching a video about Anthony Jr., Alpert felt compelled to paint his portrait and spoke to the Alexanders.
