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2006 Everyday Heroes Celebration Re-Cap“Everyday Heroes” are all around us. People who one day find themselves living through extraordinary circumstances, reaching out to someone in need and doing remarkable things. For the last nine years, we have honored these individuals at our annual “Everyday Heroes” Celebration. Red Cross heroes have one thing in common: They have all exhibited exceptional acts of heroism through selfless bravery, dedication to humanitarian principles, or extraordinary public service. Red Cross heroes think not of themselves but of others, and they act voluntarily and impartially, often at their own risk. On March 23, 2006, we honored 13 deserving individuals at our 9th Annual Celebration held at the Bavarian Inn Lodge. Over 300 attendees helped us celebrate the spirit of heroism that is alive and well in our community, raising nearly $45,000 which will be invested in the quality programs and services of the American Red Cross. From saving a baby from drowning, to driving a burning bus away from a school building, our 2006 Heroes embodied the very definition of a “Hero,” and it was a privilege to honor each of them. The Heroes celebration is heartwarming, inspirational and a testament to the extraordinary goodness that exists in Saginaw County. Mark your calendars now to join the Red Cross for the 2007 Everyday Heroes event. Our very special 10th Annual celebration is slated for Thursday, April 19, 2007 at Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw. 2005-2006 Honorees9-1-1 DispatchDenise Beach & Mary Berry “Persistence Pays – Crime Doesn’t”
Denise Beach makes no secret of her disdain for criminals. As Manager of the Admiral Gas Station on Davenport in Saginaw, she has seen her store robbed three times. So unbeknownst to Denise at the time, on the morning of June 27, 2005, she would get her chance to catch a thief – a bank robber in fact. “I saw a man walking outside of the store, and thought nothing of it,” recalls Denise. “Then I looked out a short time later and saw him running with a backpack. He took off a mask and dropped a paper bag. My first thought was that he had just robbed the bank (Bank One on Davenport), my second thought was to call 9-1-1.” Denise did just that and got Mary Berry, Saginaw County 9-1-1 Dispatcher on the line. What ensued next is a testament to the professionalism of dispatch personnel and the tenacity and bravery of a woman who wouldn’t let “crime pay.” Denise left the store, and proceeded to follow the robber as he was running from the scene. She saw him go up a driveway and then come back down wearing different clothing and riding a bike. “We were certainly fortunate to have her watching,” says Mary. “She was describing everything to us as it happened. At one point I told her she should go back to the store – I was concerned for her personal safety, but she said she would stay with him no matter what.” With her adrenaline pumping, Denise wondered when the police would arrive. Minutes later, she would hear the sirens, and was told that up to ten police officers apprehended the suspect (the money taken from the bank was also retrieved). “This was a dangerous scene,” says Mary. “I hope that I was doing my job well, and to have Denise on the phone, well, it was great teamwork.” “It’s nice for everyone in the dispatch center to receive this recognition,” continues Mary. “The best reward we get is to go home and feel like you helped one or two people.” Denise doesn’t think of herself as a Hero, although she admits that people keep telling her that she is. “I’m just glad this man is behind bars and that no one got hurt,” she says. “And if I had to do it again, I would. I went on instinct, and I’m glad I did.” Sponsored by: Sam’s Club & Wal-Mart Adult Good SamaritanAlton Schaper “Under Attack”
As he turned onto Joslin Street in Saginaw to collect mail from a prior residence, Alton witnessed a man chasing a woman across the street and knocking her to the ground. As Alton approached the hysterical woman, he saw that the man had a knife in each hand and was repeatedly stabbing her. As the man raised him arms to strike once again, Alton came into view of the attacker. Unbelievably, Alton knew the couple as former neighbors of his up in Au Gres. Alton shouted, “Harvey, what are you doing?” and with that, a flash of recognition came upon the attacker’s face, and he said, “I’m sorry, Al,” as he dropped both knives to the ground. Alton told him to get away, which he did, and along with another neighbor who had come over, Alton attended to Carol Sargent’s wounds as police and MMR were on the way. It is not an understatement to say that Alton Schaper saved this women’s life. Jeaneen Schaper nominated her husband for this award, and couldn’t be prouder. “People say there are no coincidences, but this surely must be the exception,” says Jeaneen. “Al is a fine citizen of sturdy moral fiber, and somehow, on that snowy January day, he was in the right place, at the right time, and saved Carol Sargent from what surely would have ended her life.” Alton served as a witness at Harvey Sargent’s trial, where he pleaded “no contest” to assault with intent to murder and carrying a dangerous weapon. He is currently incarcerated. There are some who would have seen this kind of frenzied attack and kept on driving – either fearful of getting involved, or concerned for their own safety. But not Alton Schaper. He stopped, got involved, and truly serves as a Hero of the highest order. Alton, we commend you for your bravery, your courage, your selflessness and your willingness to help when many may have not. Your actions meant the difference between life and death. BiomedicalRodney Merten “The Power of One”
The American Red Cross believes blood is a natural resource – just like air or water. And it is up to all of us to replenish this great resource as often as we can. One blood donor’s single gift of life can help up to three people in need. Using these calculations, long-time blood donor Rodney Merten may have saved up to hundreds of individuals. Rod has been giving since the early 1970’s, and hasn’t let up on going as often as he is able throughout the year. “I started giving blood because I had the ability to help other people,” says Rod. He has given roughly 30 gallons of blood over the years – an amazing and powerful statistic – especially when you realize that the human body contains approximately 1 ½ gallons of blood. Rod says that it feels good to help others by giving the gift of life. However, his actions may not be as altruistic as you may think. The cookies are a big factor, according to Rod. And preferably, anything chocolate! Powerful Stats
Fire AwardCarolyn Young “Up in Smoke”
On the morning of December 14, 2005, Carolyn was making her normal run and had two young children left on the bus as she pulled up to Albee Elementary. She heard an explosion from the rear, and promptly got the children off the bus. School secretary Jan Shook was on her way out to greet the students and saw that the back tire was on fire. Carolyn grabbed the fire extinguisher and along with several school employees, attempted to put the fire out, to no avail. At this point the fire had spread, and flames were literally going up the side of the bus. With little regard for her own personal safety, Carolyn got back onto the bus to drive it away from the school and the surrounding vehicles. Why? According to Carolyn, the answer is simple. “I just thought that I had to get it (the bus) out of there,” she says. “That was my bus, and it was my responsibility.” No one knows yet what caused the explosion, and the local Fire Department was on the scene within minutes to douse the flames. Carolyn grudgingly took the afternoon off at the insistence of the Superintendent, who declared that Carolyn had enough excitement for one day. Connie Gross, Transportation Supervisor and Carolyn’s boss, says that she believes Carolyn went above and beyond the call of duty, and is quite proud of her. “To get back onto a burning bus that has flames shooting from it, oh yes, she is a Hero,” says Connie. Don’t tell that to Carolyn, though. She hates all of this attention, and when pressed, says that the recognition is “okay.” Her status has been dramatically elevated among the high school students, however, who declare that she is “pretty cool.” And pretty brave to boot. Sponsored by Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland Fire AwardDavid L. Dietrich “This is Not a Drill”
“I was pulling a luggage cart when I got the call,” says David. The hotel operator stated that there was smoke in the hallway near rooms 201 – 204, quite close to where David was. He responded that he would investigate. “I knew it was serious as soon as I turned the corner,” says David. “But you treat everything as serious, and I grabbed the fire extinguisher.” When he entered the room, all he could see was thick, black smoke. “I concentrated on the flames and making sure I put it out,” he says. The fire was extinguished within minutes, but it seemed like a lifetime to David. The fire was caused by a guest who had lit a candle and then fell asleep. Thankfully, no one was injured. Kurt Kendziorski, Banquet Manager at the Lodge, had approached the hallway from a different direction, and saw first-hand the extreme, dense smoke. Kurt credits David with having the situation under control. “David went right into overdrive and knew exactly what to do. He was calm and ready to get the job done,” says Kurt. Thanks to David’s quick and decisive action, the damage to the rest of the guest rooms was minimized. David considers himself a modest man, and doesn’t like to be singled out for this act of bravery. “It’s a good feeling to be recognized, but everyone here at the Lodge is a Hero on a daily basis,” he says. “My Heroes are the rest of the people I work with.” We’ll guess that feeling is likely mutual. Law EnforcementMichigan State Police Trooper John Beemer & Motor Carrier Officer Bill Beam “To Protect & Serve”
For those who routinely drive along I-75, it can seem like an accident waiting to happen. Throw in the ice and snow typical to Michigan winters, and it can be downright treacherous. For Thomas Bremer, driving along I-75 on December 15, 2005 became more than merely treacherous – it became life-threatening. It was late afternoon, near Birch Run, when a semi-tractor & trailer went out of control and struck a Jeep and a Hummer, the later of which had Mr. Bremer inside. The semi-tractor and the Hummer became hooked together and the momentum caused the vehicles to travel several feet down the freeway. The semi-tractor pinned the Hummer between it and the guard rail. And if this wasn’t bad enough, the large load of lumber (approximately 1,600 lbs of 2x4’s) on the trailer shifted from the impact of the crash and crushed the roof of the Hummer causing it to cave in – with Mr. Bremer still inside. “The Hummer was getting flatter by the minute,” recalls Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Officer William Beam. He, along with Michigan State Police Trooper John Beemer came upon the scene, and according to Trooper Beemer, it looked like a fatal accident. “We’re trained to get up there and assess the situation,” says Trooper Beemer. “And this situation needed quick action.” Officer Beam used his flashlight to bust out the driver’s window, as Mr. Bremer was screaming for help. “It’s not as easy as you may think to break a car window,” says Officer Beam. Together, with no time to spare, the officers pulled Mr. Bremer to safety. As they pulled him from the vehicle, the roof of the Hummer completely caved in from the weight of the lumber. With an attitude typical of a true Hero, the officers don’t think of themselves as such. “It’s an honor to receive this award,” says Officer Beam. “But we are there to protect and serve, and that is what we do.” Trooper Beemer echoes this statement. “It is nice to receive recognition, but this is what we are trained to do every day,” he says. Mr. Bremer certainly knows that without the help of these two officers, he would likely have been crushed to death inside his vehicle that day. And it is fair to say that as he enjoyed the holiday season with his family, there was a special sense of celebration, with much to be thankful for. Medical ResponseOfficer Jason Fromholz, representing Saginaw Township Police Department “Once in a Lifetime”
Cops, firemen, EMT’s – they all have come across a number of strange and unusual sightings or situations at some point in their career. For Officer Jason Fromholz of the Saginaw Township Police Department, what he saw late last fall sticks in his mind as one of his top five shocking moments. “I was on duty when I heard the call that someone was ‘caught up’ on a fence at Roselawn Cemetery,” recalls Officer Fromholz. “I was curious as to what that meant, but I sure didn’t expect to see what I saw.” As the first person on the scene, what he saw was a woman not just “caught up” in a fence. She was impaled on it. “I pulled up and saw what seemed to be someone glued to the fence,” says Officer Fromholz. “It didn’t look real. It looked like she was deceased - the woman was cold to the touch. I suspected that she was out there for some time.” Officer Fromholz called the fire department and an ambulance, and a number of officers and trained personnel from the Saginaw Township Fire Department, Police Department, and MMR descended upon the scene. What happened next could only be described as harrowing and more than a bit challenging. The section of the fence surrounding the victim had to be cut with the woman still attached to it. She was then transported to the hospital…and survived. Richard Humphreys of the Saginaw Township Fire Department says that when you come upon a situation like this, it is essentially what those in fire service are trained to do. “We’re problem solvers,” says Richard. “It was good that we didn’t have to make a split-second decision.” Everyone on the team (20 + professionals) took their time to make sure each move was the right one. As part of the team from MMR who stabilized the victim, Rod Hill credits the Fire Department for the precision it took to cut the fence. “It was a 2 x 3 foot piece of fence,” says Rob. “It weighed between 50 and 60 pounds.” But miraculously, after an inordinate amount of teamwork, expertise and maybe just a little luck, the positive end to this bizarre tale is that the woman survived this traumatic ordeal. All those involved state that “they were just doing their job,” and are happy that they could help. In a situation like this, where time was of the essence, their professionalism, care and expertise made all the difference in the world. MilitaryCompany B, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment “Our Heroes on the Front Lines”
Upon settling west of Baghdad in Iraq, the unit conducted joint training with the unit they were replacing. During this time, Company B Soldiers shadowed and learned from the experienced veterans who had spent the last year in Company B’s new area of responsibility. Once the previous unit went home the new Soldiers were left to face the challenges on their own. One of those challenges was the 147 degree heat that made their weapons untouchable without a burn proof glove made of Nomex. The Soldiers quickly learned to freeze their water before a mission to avoid scalding their mouths. Another challenge was being targeted by anti-coalition forces and facing mortar and rocket attacks daily. The unit regularly conducts focused patrols, presence patrols, raids, ambush missions, cordon and search operations and conducts base defense operations. As a result, the unit has taken the largest number of casualties of any Michigan unit deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. To date, Company B has lost five Soldiers due to combat operations and suffered an additional 14 injured. Despite the challenges and the losses, the unit is still performing their mission and is hoping to come home summer of 2006. Submitted by: The American Red Cross is the only organization that has the ability to communicate with our military men and women in the event of a family event or emergency such as a death, serious illness or the birth of a child. The Red Cross provides our service men and women stationed all over the world and their commanders with fast, reliable information to help make decisions regarding emergency leaves, deferments and compassionate reassignments. These communications are delivered around-the-clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We are proud to have such an important and long standing relationship with members of the armed forces, and salute and honor all of our men and women in uniform. Workplace Good SamaritanTrisha Alcock “The Miracle Child”
There are things in this world many of us would rather not see…death, war, and the image of a lifeless three-year old little girl, blue and bloated on the deck of a hotel pool. But that is exactly the scene Trisha Alcock came upon in mid-July, 2005. Trisha was in her position as finance manager at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel in Saginaw just a few short months. Little did she know that her biggest and most important accomplishment would be to save the life of little Rose Pearson. “I wasn’t supposed to be working that day,” recalls Trisha. “I was looking at a hotel bill at the front desk when I heard screaming. I told my co-worker to call 9-1-1 and I ran to the pool area.” That is when she found Rose laying on the pool deck – not breathing, and with no pulse. Trisha started CPR, and says that to this day, could not recall the actual steps she took. “I was trained over 15 years ago in high school,” she says. “But it all just came back. It was immediate – it was instinct.” After performing CPR, Rose started spitting up what seemed like gallons of water. Trisha would later learn that Rose had been underwater for at least three minutes – and literally had about one minute before her brain would suffocate. Trisha believes that this was “divine intervention” to say the least. The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel works directly with the American Red Cross to house fire victims. Rose and her family were at the hotel after a fire destroyed their home. And Rose was the last one pulled from the burning house. “I tell you, this girl is blessed,” says Trisha. “She is a miracle child.” Most would say that the miracle worker is Trisha, but she doesn’t see it that way. “I don’t see myself as a Hero,” she says. “I feel blessed that I was able to help, but I didn’t do this on my own. I asked for God’s help, and He was right there.” Unbelievably, Rose suffered no permanent damage from this ordeal. Asked what she remembers most about that day, Trisha says it is the first breath Rose took. “It was just like a newborn baby. It was small, but it was a breath. I will remember that forever – what a miracle.” Oh, and speaking of miracles, after years of believing that she could not become pregnant again (she has a 14-year-old daughter), Trisha conceived immediately after saving the life of Rose and is expecting her son Jonathan any day now. “I feel that God gave me a life because I saved a life,” says Trisha.
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Domestic violence is more prevalent than you might imagine. Usually, it is hidden behind closed doors – not usually out in the open and on display.
But after church on a snowy January morning in 2005, Alton Schaper came upon a vicious attack, perpetrated by a vengeful ex-husband.
You have it in you to save a life. It’s called blood. And that’s a powerful thing. But while statistics show that 97 percent of us will need a blood
transfusion at one point or another in our life, just three percent of us ever donate blood.
Carolyn Young has been proud to be a bus driver for nineteen years – sixteen of those years for Chesaning Union Schools. Her bus is a moving
workstation, of sorts, where she spends the majority of her day. Never in her life did she think that one day she would get onto her bus – as it was
going up in flames.
The first thing one expects upon waking after a restful night in a hotel is perhaps a continental breakfast, or maybe a leisurely shower. Employees
bustle about, attending to guests and preparing for the day. For David Dietrich, who was the Maintenance Team Leader on duty at the Bavarian Inn
Lodge on October 1, 2005, that morning meant putting out a fire…literally.
Company B, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment was mobilized in February of 2005. Before they could deploy they had to go through months of
training and preparation. They spent five months doing mobilization training at Camp Shelby, MS, including a one month rotation at the National
Training Center (NTC), Ft. Irwin CA. Once their mobilization training was over they spent time staging and preparing in Kuwait, which included final
marksmanship training and weapons qualification.