The American Red Cross of Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley will honor eight local individuals at the annual Acts of Courage Awards for their bravery and acts of heroism during a time of emergency.
The event will held Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 11:30 a.m. at Waypoint 4180, 4180 Westford Pl. in Canfield.
The 2022 Acts of Courage honorees include:
· Giant Eagle employees Christine Kennedy, Tiffany Adkins, Sarah Jeffrey and Chris Spencer are being honored for helping 5-year-old Alexandra (Alex) who went into cardiac arrest during a shopping trip with her mother.
While shopping, Lori Lucas made a quick trip to the bathroom with her daughter Alex. As Alex went into the stall, she stumbled and fell to the floor. Her mother thought she had tripped but when she went to help her up, she was as stiff as a board. Alex wasn’t breathing. Lori yelled for help and Christine, Tiffany, Sara and Chris rushed in. The employees performed CPR and used an AED to revive Alex, who was transported to Akron Children’s Hospital.
· ClassicalOptical Laboratories employees Bill Mikesell, Frank Zagotti and Chris Hartzell are being honored for helping a fellow co-worker who had collapsed. At approximately 11:00 a.m. April 20, 2022, a “code Blue” announcement was made over the loudspeakers at Classic Optical Laboratories, Inc. Bill, Frank and Chris, who are part of the company’s first responder team, sprang into action. The team used CPR and an AED and the worker began to breathe. Still unconscious, he was transported to the local hospital and has made a full recovery.
· High school freshman Baron Reynolds III will be recognized for using stomach thrusts to help a choking friend. Baron was in class, reviewing for a test, when one of his friends started choking on a snack. His teacher ran to the student and began to attempt stomach thrusts. Baron realized the size difference between his teacher and his friend meant shecould not help. Baron stepped in and began stomach thrusts, which finally dislodged the snack, allowing the student to breathe.
In addition to recognizing local residents who have shown extraordinary courage and bravery during a time of emergency, the Red Cross will honor Simon Roofing with the Spirit of the Red Cross Award.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
About the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio:
The Northern Ohio Region of the American Red Cross serves 31 counties and their 5.3 million residents by preventing, preparing for and responding to emergencies 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Subscribe to our blog at nohredcross.org, find us at Facebook.com/NOHRedCross, at LinkedIn.com/company/red-cross-noh, and follow us @RedCrossNOH on Twitter.
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