Johnny Wactor received a high honor nearly two years after his tragic death ... with the Medal of Honor Society awarding him an award for his heroism before he was killed.
The MHS named Wactor a 2026 Single Act of Heroism Honoree on Wednesday for protecting his coworker on the night he was shot to death.
Remember ... Wactor was walking a coworker to her car in the early morning
hours of May 25, 2024 when he saw several individuals trying to steal his catalytic converter.He died in his coworker's arms after trying to shield her from danger ... a courageous act the Medal of Honor Society says embodied his "lifelong commitment to protecting others."
We spoke to Johnny's mother, Scarlett, who accepted the award on Johnny's behalf ... and she and her youngest son, Grant, attended the ceremony in Virginia. Retired US Army Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell presented the award.
Johnny was nominated for the award by a fan ... and Scarlett got a call last month from an organization rep that he was chosen from a pool of more than 300 applicants.
Scarlett says the Medal of Honor Society flew her and Grant out to D.C. from Los Angeles. Scarlett and Grant stayed in the area from Monday to Thursday ... and the org. covered the bill for the hotel, food, and drivers. The duo was also able to do some sightseeing.
Johnny's honor means a lot to Scarlett, she says ... and she's thankful the organization recognized him among so many other incredible people.
As you may know ... Leonel Gutierrez and Frank Olano -- two of the men connected to the incident -- pled guilty to robbery charges. Gutierrez got 4 years in prison ... Olano got 5 years, 8 months.
Two other men -- Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada -- have been charged with Wactor's murder. They pled not guilty ... and L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has already said they will not face the death penalty.
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