By Mike Sever
Record-Courier staff writer
Eleven people, ranging from a six-year-old to adults, were honored Saturday during the 10th annual Real Heroes Breakfast.
Some 250 attended the annual event conducted by the American Red Cross of Summit and Portage Counties. It honors those who have stepped beyond their ordinary lives to help others at a critical time.
Some people are faced with dangerous and life-or-death events as part of their job.
Kent police officers John Gormsen, Martin Gilliland and Dominic Poe rescued a woman from a burning apartment. Aurora police officer Michelle Ice helped save a heart attack victim, and Aurora police dispatcher Lisa Lesner kept a shooting victim calm while getting police and emergency medical personnel on the way.
Then there are the everyday people, like Mike Wagel, who rescued a pair of teenagers when their canoe tipped over into icy water, and Andrew Wyatt, who pulled a woman from her car as it sunk into a pond after an auto accident.
And there is 6-year-old Devion Wright, who had the maturity to call 911 when his pregnant mother collapsed from a heart condition.
"Let us remember that our heroes have not just saved a life, they have saved a world" for the families of those they saved, said Toby Ann Weber, CEO of the local Red Cross chapter.
Also recognized at Saturday's event at the Ralph Regula Conference Center at NEOUCOM were:
Caley and Colin Scahill. The youngsters donated their Easter money to the Red Cross, and, for his seventh birthday, Colin asked that instead of presents for him, donations be made to the Red Cross.
Matthew Heater. The young man refused a $1,000 reward after finding a lost dog.
Brenda and Thomas Samblanet. The couple sponsored a blood drive in honor of their son, Lee, who died in 2007 after battling cancer and diabetes.
Master of ceremonies for this year's breakfast was Don Cockroft, a former kicker for the Cleveland Browns and a member of the "Kardiac Kids" team of 1980.
A full list of this year's real heroes, and the events that got them recognized are on page B1 of today's Record-Courier.
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E-mail:
msever@recordpub.com
Phone: 330 298-1125