Red Cross to honor Modesto, Tuolumne region heroes

Heroes, from volunteers to first responders to good Samaritans, from Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties will be celebrated at a special awards breakfast this month.

The Gold Country Region of the American Red Cross Heroes Awards will be held May 18 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Modesto. This is the 10th year that the organization has honored people who have demonstrated compassion and a heroic commitment to our community.

Proceeds from the breakfast will support services provided by the American Red Cross. The following are among those whose heroic acts will be recognized at the event.

Adult Good Samaritan: Deborah Cree – Most of us go our entire lives without being called upon to save a life. Fortunately for two bereaved families, professional nurse and Gallo Center for the Arts volunteer usher Debbie Cree was on hand to provide comfort twice in separate incidents just two weeks apart. Anticipating another pleasant shift guiding patrons to their seats and interacting with guests at a Gallo Center performance, Debbie instead found herself rushing to the aid of a guest who collapsed during a standing ovation and provided CPR until emergency personnel arrived. Just two weeks later, a second patron was stricken; Debbie was there again and tried valiantly, though in vain, to resuscitate the victim. Despite the anguish of witnessing these two deaths, Debbie showed true compassion by immediately seeing to the care and comfort of the victims’ families, sharing in their grief. In this way, Debbie performed heroically and in the true spirit of the Red Cross.

Youth Good Samaritan: Dominic Barandica – In late 2013, Gregori High School student and avid football player Dominic Barandica became concerned about the growing media attention related to undiagnosed or misdiagnosed concussions on the football field. He decided he needed to do something to make his sport safer. Dominic learned there was a software program that could be placed inside players’ helmets that continuously monitors the severity of hits to the head. The software sends messages to a device on the sidelines alerting coaches when a player needs to be called out of the game for examination. Dominic formulated a proposal and presented it to Doctors Medical Center, which approved the $12,500 expenditure. Then, at the end of the season, Dominic provided statistics that proved the helmets were working to reduce injury. Based on his reports, the Modesto City Schools board voted to expand the program to include all city high schools.

Animal Rescue: Rocky and Deputy Wade Carr – In January, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Wade Carr and his K9 partner Rocky responded to a 911 call at a local convenience store. A suspicious person had been seen loitering in front of the business. When the suspect proved to be uncooperative and resisted arrest, Deputy Carr made the decision to let Rocky apprehend him. Rocky took hold of the suspect’s leg and the suspect began punching Rocky in the head. He then produced a knife, stabbing Rocky several times before Deputy Carr was able to intervene and disarm the suspect. Rocky was treated for stab wounds that required immediate care and suturing. During the subsequent criminal investigation, it was learned that the suspect was suicidal and wanted to bait the officers into a deadly force confrontation. Demonstrating amazing restraint, the deputies and Rocky worked together to end the violent confrontation without serious injury or loss of life. Rocky recovered and he and his partner are back on duty.

First Responders: Juan Arroyo and Jeremy Davis – Modesto Police Officers Jeremy Davis and Juan Arroyo were working the graveyard shift when a distress call came in: A woman was pleading for help for her husband. They arrived to find the 46-year-old man unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. The officers quickly placed the victim on the floor and administered CPR until the man finally began breathing on his own and regained a pulse. Paramedics then transported the victim to the hospital where he recovered, thanks to the quick action of the two police officers. The most critical component of a positive outcome in a cardiac arrest is early CPR. In commendations given for their actions, Officers Davis and Arroyo were credited with saving the man’s life.

Workplace Hero: Stephen Rodriguez – During a routine early morning pickup run in January, a desperate man jumped from a highway overpass right in front of SMART (Save Mart) Refrigerated Transport driver Steve Rodriguez in an apparent suicide attempt. Steve had just 25 feet to react and swerved across the road to miss the man by inches. Not wanting other cars to hit the man, Steve slowly backed up and positioned the truck to protect him, directing traffic away with a flashlight. He then ran to the badly injured man, who was still trying to crawl to the other lanes to finish what he set out to do. Steve remembers thinking, “It’s not this guy’s time to go.” So he grabbed him by the collar and pulled the man onto the shoulder of the road to safety. The man recovered and the two were able to meet. “Thank you for everything you did for me,” the man said. “I really appreciate it because it has given me a second chance to realize what really is of value.”

Red Cross Hero: Nicole Buck – In her role as a registered nurse working in the emergency room at Doctors Medical Center, Nicole Buck provides life-saving care on a routine basis. However, on an afternoon last fall, she found herself in an emergency situation when she least expected it. While running an errand in McHenry Village, she heard a sound “like a bomb going off,” which turned out to be a terrible accident along Briggsmore Avenue. Nicole rushed outside and to the scene. The crash had involved a motor vehicle and a motorcycle. The motorcycle rider’s leg had been torn off above the knee and he was losing a tremendous amount of blood. The horrific scene rendered bystanders immobile, but Nicole quickly took control and applied a tourniquet, which most likely saved the man’s life. She provided care until emergency personnel arrived, then stayed on the scene to help protect the victim’s privacy and integrity by finding a blanket to shield him from the curious stares of onlookers. The victim survived, thanks to Nicole’s quick response.

Spirit of the Red Cross: Alec and Austin Butler – In April 2015, a devastating earthquake and two massive aftershocks struck Nepal. Nearly 9,000 people died and 900,000 homes were destroyed. Chaos, destruction and landslides further exacerbated the country’s already rampant poverty. Across the globe, as people watched and hoped that Nepal would receive the aid it needed, the Butler family of Modesto was already on it. Just a month prior to the April earthquakes, Austin Butler, then a senior at Big Valley Christian High School, had hosted a Water Fore Life golf tournament in partnership with World Help to raise funds to construct a water well and a church for villagers in Chisapani, Nepal. The event raised $37,000, enough to build four clean water wells and two churches. This year, with Austin away at college, Alec picked up the ball to co-host the 2016 tournament which raised another $41,000 to send to Nepal for the construction of more wells, homes and churches.

Volunteer Hero: Wayne Johnson – Our friend and longtime member of the Red Cross family, Wayne Johnson, was devoted to his family, his church and the American Red Cross. Sadly, Wayne passed away earlier this year, leaving a big hole where his caring, generous presence had been felt in so many ways and for so long. Wayne was deployed to the scene of several major disasters, including the Rim Fire of 2013, Boles Fire in 2014 and last summer’s devastating Butte Fire. He also worked alongside his fellow volunteers installing smoke alarms, staffed first aid booths at community events and served food to emergency responders. As an emergency response vehicle driver, Wayne was a witness to much suffering, but also relieved that suffering with his gentle, unfailingly optimistic spirit. His belief in the Red Cross mission was evident with every hour he volunteered, year after year.

Business Hero: Burnside Body Shop – The folks at Burnside and the Red Cross have a lot in common. As they well know, accidents happen daily and the staff at Burnside Auto Body, an independent, family-owned collision repair shop, is dedicated to making a customer’s bad situation – a car crash – turn into a positive one. With deep roots in Modesto and Stanislaus County, owner Brent Burnside understands that local small businesses can help each other, and that our community is as good as we the citizens make it. Burnside employees are local, and several, like Brent himself, learned their craft through Modesto Junior College. The company supports many local organizations, as well as school sports teams and arts organizations, services clubs and, of course, the Red Cross. The company focuses its giving in areas that directly benefit youth and veterans. “Through the Red Cross, we’ve been able to meet some of the veterans who have served our country, protected our freedoms, and lived their lives to make a difference for others without being asked,” says Burnside. “We wouldn’t be the strong, free country we are without the dedication of our American service men and women.”

Business Hero: McDonald’s – When the Butte Fire erupted in September 2015, Dennis Graspointner, owner and operator of McDonald’s stores in the Mother Lode, called the local Red Cross to offer support. Then he gathered his team of employees and store supervisor Ron Richards and asked for their ideas for a fundraiser to assist those affected by the wildfire. “They thought, ‘What is America’s favorite thing?’ The all-American apple pie, of course!” remembers Richards. So, they launched a campaign, with 100 percent of the proceeds from the purchase of McDonald’s pies to be donated to the Red Cross to help fire victims. The campaign was a big hit with the community, and more than $6,500 was raised through pie sales alone. “Customers came by just for the pies, to help their friends and neighbors who had been evacuated,” said Graspointner. With the generous support of McDonald’s and its employees, the Red Cross was able to open five shelters providing over 1,750 overnight stays; serve more than 33,000 meals and snacks; distribute 23,500 relief items, including comfort kits and cleanup kits containing shovels and gloves; and open 430 client cases to provide one-on-one support to residents.

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Red Cross to honor Modesto, Tuolumne region heroes."