Story by Amy Blackford. Photos by Janet Koelling and Mary Urban – American Red Cross
What makes a hero? Is it someone who wears brightly colored tights, has superpowers, and a signature takedown move? Or is it an ordinary person who performs an extraordinary act of servitude to their greater community?
On March 8, heroes of the American Red Cross got together to celebrate their communities, and the heroes that help to make them great. The event raised awareness of the importance of preparedness and response skills, as well as the enormous benefits that come with having a community of people that has each other’s backs.
The first hero honored at the event was Tom Vondra, a Deputy Sheriff in Aurora. In December of 2017, Mr. Vondra was working the traffic unit when he saw smoke coming out of an apartment building. He ran to the building, and helped an adult and child safely escape. In the process, Mr. Vondra suffered from smoke inhalation and was admitted into the ER. Mr. Vondra was honored to receive the Sound the Alarm Award, and when I asked him how he felt about the Red Cross event, he said that it was “a great honor to be recognized for just doing what’s expected from any first responder put in that situation.” Mr. Vondra said it as if he were in the right place at the right time, but his actions proved that his dedication to his community, and his career as a first responder, are incredibly strong. Mr. Vondra is pictured with his family below.
The second hero honored was Amy Bezerra, a post office worker in the Denver area. When a man on her usual route didn’t pick up his mail for a few days, she became worried and called for a well-check. After knocking on his door, she discovered he was incredibly sick and ended up requesting an ambulance come for him. The man was saved, in large part to Ms. Bezerra’s thoughtfulness and action. Ms. Bezerra accepted the Celebrating Community Award, and although I did not get a chance to speak with her, her story was incredibly touching.
Karen Townsend was honored to receive the Services to the
Armed Forces Award. Our CEO of the American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming,
Gino Greco, said that Ms. Townsend felt that she shouldn’t be honored as a hero
because she was simply doing her job, rather than some sort of grand gesture.
However, her video featured many veterans who insisted that she changed their
lives for the better everyday by connecting them to VA resources. This showed
how seemingly small acts can make incredible changes in someone’s life! When
asked how she felt about the evening, Ms. Townsend that it was “really deep and
heartfelt for [her]. [She] felt very humbled and honored to have been selected
for the award.” It truly is amazing to see the importance of community, and how
when amazing people work together, even more amazing things can happen. Our
veterans are an incredibly important part of our community, and Ms. Townsend
helps them to realize that.
The Adult Lifesaver Award was given to six individuals, Michael Mann, Christian, Dylan, and Max McCaffery, and Tifany and Chris Borgelt. These six young adults were hiking Castle Rock when they saw a man, Dan Smoker, fall off and hit a boulder. With none of them knowing CPR or having extensive first aid training, they all ran to his rescue. Michael performed CPR long enough to keep him alive until the ambulance came. The other five people helped to comfort his grandson, get in contact with first responders, and assist Michael. When I talked to Max McCaffery, and Michael Mann’s dad Scott, they both told me that Dan Smoker was the real hero, because he was the survivor. These six individuals proved that in times of crisis, fast responses are critical. Max McCaffery is pictured with a friend below.
The final hero honored was Juliette Moore, a 19yo from Boulder. While camping with her boyfriend, Isaiah, he was struck by lightning. Juliette quickly performed CPR and called for help. In her video, she mentioned that most people die from lightning strikes because their heart is stopped and is not restarted fast enough, because air cannot get into their lungs. Juliette’s knowledge of CPR practices and quick response time literally saved Isaiah’s life. She said that the whole experience was “surreal,” and that CPR is an essential life skill that everyone should learn. Juliette is pictured with Isaiah below.
CEO Mr. Greco ended the night by saying that “in times of preparedness and in times of disaster, you have seen the impacts of our heroes.” The night truly was amazing, and the Colorado and Wyoming Red Cross raised over $170,000. There was great food, great people, and one message that really prevailed: in times of crisis, respond; in times of ease, get CPR certified.
See more photos on FLickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHskP5rkkWhttps://flic.kr/s/aHskP5rkkW