MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS News) - Officer Dustin Nicholson was recognized Saturday (1/17/2026) with the Jerry Anderson Hero Award, presented by the NAACP Murfreesboro Branch during the annual MLK Breakfast at Middle Tennessee State University. The honor follows Nicholson’s decisive and compassionate response on Dec. 23, 2025, when he pulled a woman to safety from the I‑24 overpass at Old Fort Parkway after she had climbed over the guardrail.

Nicholson said his Crisis Intervention Training helped guide his approach, but he credited nearby citizens for keeping the woman calm until he arrived. With little time to spare, he acted quickly, pulling her back to safety so she could receive help.

The award he received carries deep local meaning. Jerry Anderson, for whom the honor is named, was a Murfreesboro native and former Central High School standout who went on to play football for the University of Oklahoma’s 1975 national championship team and later in the NFL. In 1989, Anderson lost his life while saving two boys from drowning in the Stones River. His final act became a lasting symbol of courage, selflessness, and devotion to others.

That legacy is the heart of the award. It recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and a willingness to risk their own safety to protect someone else. Recipients are chosen not only for their actions in a critical moment but for embodying the values Anderson lived out — service, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to human dignity.

School Safety Division Capt. Don Fanning said Nicholson’s response reflects those same qualities, noting that his calm presence and decisive action showed both professional excellence and deep humanity. Nicholson, who serves as a floater School Resource Officer and active shooter training instructor, was honored for stepping into danger with the same spirit of courage that defined Anderson’s life