It's been nearly three years since Kevin Bardsley's 12-year-old son, Garrett, disappeared in the Uinta Mountains.

But Kevin Bardsley's tireless efforts to honor and memorialize his missing son haven't gone unnoticed.

Last year, Bardsley was the subject of a Reader's Digest article, and this year he was named the 2007 Hero of the Year based on readers' poll.

To finalize the honor, senior editors and executives from Reader's Digest, along with Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah, presented Kevin Bardsley with a plaque Wednesday during a quick trip to the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

"It was short but sweet," Bardsley said about the 20-minute meeting with Hatch. "We were very honored that he took the time for our family."

Hatch also described the meeting as an honor.

"Kevin truly is a hero: someone who turns death into a fighting chance to live," Hatch said. "Because of Kevin's determination, Brennan Hawkins is still with us, and I'm sure many others will benefit from Kevin's service in the future."

However, Bardsley emphasized that this award should really be shared with the hundreds of other people who helped search for his son. Bardsley also praised people who continue to make a difference by searching for other lost

children, including Hawkins, who got lost in the same mountains in 2005 as Garrett Bardsley did. Hawkins was found safe four days after he disappeared.

After Garrett's disappearance in August 2004, Bardsley created that specialized search team as well as a service-oriented foundation that has already built a school in Ecuador bearing Garrett's name.

"Kevin is the quintessential hero," Reader's Digest Editor-in-Chief Jackie Leo said in a statement. "He has selflessly used his own painful experience to ensure the future safety of others."

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E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com