They’re the people who lift up our veterans.
They are CPR trained.
They change the world one child at a time.
They put out fires and protect our communities.
They feed the hungry and care for those experiencing homelessness.
They are our Community Heroes and they stepped forward like never before this last year.
These Community Heroes are sponsored by Ent Credit Union.
Boyd Abelseth
Cubby and Devorah
Sarah Pucillo
Unexpected challenges are the true test of one’s aptitude in work and in life. Dr. Sarah Pucillo demonstrated her deft capabilities as a doctor and a leader when she saved the life of a mother during childbirth at Skyridge Medical Center.
Dr. Pucillo was delivering the woman’s second child when she noticed a complication. The mother was hemorrhaging and bleeding uncontrollably. In the face of such a dangerous and challenging crisis, Dr. Pucillo remained calm and collecting, acting as a capable leader of the nurses and staff. She called a “code white” and ensured the mother was brought into surgery within 30 minutes. The mother recalls the situation, saying “It felt like I was watching a movie and not in real life, my husband came over and kissed me holding our newborn daughter and they rushed me into surgery. I had to be transfused with multiple units of lifesaving blood and I remember being so scared that I was going to die”. But Dr. Pucillo’s sharp eye and strong leadership ensured that the complication was treated. Furthermore, thanks to Dr. Pucillo’s quick response, not only the mother’s life was saved but also her uterus.
The mother notes that her journey to becoming a mother was a difficult one, achieved through IVF, and as such, it was an exceptional miracle that Dr. Pucillo was able to save her life so she could enjoy being a mother. No one ever truly knows the impact they’ll have on others’ lives, especially not when it comes to our daily work. But Dr. Pucillo should know now: her impact has been not only life-changing but also life-saving. Truly, Dr. Pucillo’s actions show that she is not only a capable and sharp doctor but also a wise and praiseworthy leader, a hero.
Jon McDole
Juan Gomez
Alexis Rivera
Hero is a label that is often given by observers to an individual, not one that a person applies to themself. Why is this? It is because true heroes do not act with the way they’ll be perceived in mind. They simply do what is right because it is right. Alexis Rivera showed herself to be a prime example of this when she saved the life of a little girl.
Rivera was working as a lifeguard through a private security company contracted by Lake Loveland to monitor the swim beach when she noticed a young girl go under the water. At first, it wasn’t clear whether the girl was simply playing, but as soon as Rivera saw that the girl was fighting to get above the water, she leapt into action. Rivera rushed into the water with her uniform still on, keys and phone in her pocket. She disregarded her own concerns in the face of a young girl’s need. Lifeguards are trained in the dangers of rescuing a drowning person, and selflessly, Rivera bravely took this risk. Thanks to Rivera’s quick and courageous actions, she was able to bring the child back to shore before anything more serious occurred.
When the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority recognized Rivera with the Citizen Lifesaving Award and an LFRA champions coin, she said she was honored but noted that she does not feel like a hero, just someone doing the right thing. “I feel like that should be anybody’s instinct if they see something like that,” Rivera said.
Not only did Rivera show herself to be a brave and selfless person, she is also a humble hero. She acted simply because it was the right thing to do. Thanks to her, one young girl’s life was saved, and this girl will be able to grow and experience a life of her own. Truly, Rivera is a hero who even now just feels happy to know that the little girl was OK, saying “that is all that matters to me, that she was OK.” Rivera is an exemplary illustration of a hero’s thought process, her bravery and aptitude a prime example of what sets heroes apart.
Jed Ehlers: Wyoming:
Park County can rest assured they are in good hands with Deputy Sheriff Jed Ehlers around.
Ehlers was off-duty when he was driving on a county road and spotted an individual waving for help. Ehlers pulled over to assess the situation and discovered that an ATV driven by two juveniles had crashed in a canal. The cab was fully submerged and upside down, where one of the passengers remained stuck and managed to keep their mouth and nose above the water.
Without hesitation, Ehlers dove into the water and went under the submerged vehicle, where he released the seatbelt that retained the juvenile. He then brought the youth to the shore and checked for injuries. Amazingly, while they were a bit rattled, both passengers were otherwise unharmed. Further investigation determined that the cause of this accident was excessive speed when making a turn. The ATV had rolled over its front when it hit the bottom of the canal, leaving it to rest upside down. Following the incident Ehlers was treated by EMS for gasoline exposure to his eyes.
Undersheriff Andy Varian shared in a department-wide email, “This Deputy’s decision to react quickly and save the juvenile from possibly drowning showed outstanding courage and decisiveness,”, he continued, “Although he was off duty, his decision to move into action exemplifies the standards of the Sheriff’s Office and the duty to protect citizens in Park County.”