By Tiffany Kinniebrew, American Red Cross Volunteer

When the call to deploy comes in, Alicia and Rodney Escobedo don’t hesitate. They grab their personal go-bags, pick up an American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) and head out, often to a large-scale disaster zone for Distribution of Emergency Supplies (DES) or feeding. As members of the Disaster Action Team (DAT), they responded together to many house fires bringing blankets, snacks and water and something just as important: reassurance.

After 42 years of marriage, answering the call together has become part of who they are. But their story didn’t start in the disaster zone. It started when they met at a swimming party, where Alicia admits she initially didn’t like Rodney. Rodney believes it was because he looked a bit grubby in his swim shorts and partially shaved face. Six months later, they crossed paths again at a nightclub in Hollywood. Rodney turned to his friend and confidently said, “She’s mine.” Three months later, they were engaged, and a year and a half after that, they were married.

Their Red Cross journey began during a season of change. After Alicia was laid off from a large utility company, the couple sold their home in Los Angeles County and moved to Orange County. There, Alicia met someone connected to the Red Cross who encouraged her to volunteer. Her first deployment was Hurricane Harvey, and as she said, “I was hooked.” Rodney quickly joined Alicia in service, sharing, “For 33 years, my identity was with FedEx, but after joining the Red Cross, I found my new identity with them.”

One deployment strongly resonated with them. In September 2024, during the Bridge Fire in the Mt. Baldy area, Alicia and Rodney were stationed in the mountains. As families returned down the long driveways after assessing cabin damage, the Escobedos were there waiting.

“They were devastated,” Alicia recalls. “But we made it a point to let the community know we were there to help.”

For four days, they remained deployed, offering reassurance to a tight knit, self-sufficient mountain community that suddenly needed support. In moments like that, the Red Cross is more than an organization; it is a lifeline.

“When you become a volunteer, even if it’s one time, it’s life changing,” Alicia said. “You realize how comforting a pair of shoes or a blanket can be when someone has lost everything. When you come back home, you realize how blessed you are.”

Rodney agreed.

“Join the Red Cross for the opportunity to help those in need,” he said. “You see people on TV who need help. Being with the Red Cross gives you that opportunity to be there.”

Rodney has established a tradition he calls the “Red Cross hug.” Before leaving a disaster, he encourages members of the community to join him in a warm embrace.

“I’m your angel,” he tells them. “And remember, you’re someone’s angel too.”

For 42 years, Alicia and Rodney Escobedo have built a life together. Through fire and storm, midnight calls and mountain deployments, their marriage has become something larger than themselves. It has become a shared mission.

Rodney and Alicia's story reminds us that love is not only spoken but also shows up. It answers the call. It stands in the ashes with a blanket in hand and a ready embrace. And sometimes, it wears a Red Cross vest.

You can help the Red Cross advance this important humanitarian work by making a financial donation, giving blood, or becoming a volunteer.