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He was 28 in law enforcement training when he had a medical emergency. The people around him saved him.

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THE BRIGHT SIDE

He was 28 in law enforcement training when he had a medical emergency. The people around him saved him.

Sharon McBrayer
Jun 23, 2026
6 hrs ago
0

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Austin Robinson decided to transition from a detention officer to a deputy. That decision may have saved his life.

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MNH 061926 Recruit saved 2.jpg — Burke County Sheriff Banks Hinceman, back to camera, presents awards to officers who helped save a recruit's life during a Burke County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Sharon McBrayer, The News Herald

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MNH 061926 Recruit saved 1.jpg — Austin Robinson, center (green shirt), and his wife, Paisley, help honor the men who helped him during a recent Burke County Board of Commissioners meeting. The men, who flank Robinson, are, from left, North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Phillips, Morganton Department of Public Safety Officer Justin Walker, WPCC Basic Law Enforcement Training Director Bryan Christy and Burke County Sheriff’s Deputy John McKinney. Sheriff Banks Hinceman, standing beside McKinney, presented the men with the Public Safety Award for their lifesaving efforts.
Sharon McBrayer, The News Herald

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