Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. Congratulations to Officer Mansfield, he is our August Hero of the Month! Stay tuned as we announce the finalists for September!
Michael knew he wanted to be a firefighter from a young age. His family says he has always had the compassion and drive to help people. Michael got his start around the fire community when he served as a Police, Fire and EMT dispatcher. He used the experience to start learning about firefighting. From there, Michael joined the Fort Smith Fire Department, where he served for 11 years.
While working for the fire department in July 2009, Michael got a call that changed his life. He was called to a two-story building on fire-with two people trapped inside. Michael immediately rushed into the burning building to rescue both men. One man managed to escape, but the other was unconscious due to smoke inhalation.
Michael was able to pull the man from the burning building. He was rushed to the hospital, and recovered after a few weeks. During the rescue, Michael sustained severe shoulder injuries, leading to multiple surgeries and eventual retirement. He then went on to start a company with his wife.
Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. Congratulations to Officer Mansfield, he is our August Hero of the Month! Stay tuned as we announce the finalists for September!
LaVees’ coworkers and friends say that ‘Best’ is more than just her last name- it also perfectly describes her care for the teaching profession and her students. LaVees started her teaching career at a middle school with many social-economic challenges. Wanting to motivate and reward her students, she took it upon herself to create student recognition programs. She also served as the Associate Student Body Advisor.
In just three short years, coworkers say she transformed and organized student programs into much-needed ‘student affirming machines.’ Now working at the high school level, LaVees is frequently visited by past students hoping to catch up or share their successes with her. Her personal determination as an educator to make a difference has transformed LaVees to be an inspirational role model. Now teaching in the English department, she has broadened her school’s range of literature. Her coworkers say LaVees ‘moves forward with deep conviction about the possible impact she could make on both students and staff.’ From all accounts, she is making quite the impact indeed.
Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. Congratulations to Officer Mansfield, he is our August Hero of the Month! Stay tuned as we announce the finalists for September!
Emily has been working as a Trauma and Burn Intensive Care Unit nurse for 3 years now. Emily had such a huge impact on one of her patients and his family, multiple family members wrote to us about this extraordinary nurse.
It all started when the victim, a young man about Emily’s age, was admitted to the hospital. He was unconscious and had no family present at the time. Not wanting him to be alone or his family to worry, Emily and her charge nurse got to work searching for clues on how to find and alert his family.
They were able to track them down, and they immediately traveled the 120 miles to visit their son in the hospital. Throughout the patient’s stay, Emily cared for him and his family as she would want someone to do for her. Even though the patient was still unconscious and in a coma, Emily talked to him frequently, kept him company, and encouraged his family to do the same.
With all of this happening right at Christmas time, Emily said she could not imagine the family’s stress. Emily remainedright by their side, checking in on her own time, bringing Christmas baked goods, and comforting the family to her best ability. His mother and grandmother remember how gentle, patient, and caring Emily was throughout the whole experience by easing their fears and calming their nerves. Emily says she takes pride in getting to know people on a personal level.
Knowing she has impacted someone’s life positively is what she loves about her job. As for the patient’s family, they could notsay enough positive things about the incredible difference Emily’s beyond-the-call care made in their lives.
Voting is now closed! You may still share the heroes’ pages, but votes will not count. Congratulations to Officer Mansfield, he is our August Hero of the Month! Stay tuned as we announce the finalists for September!
Officer Mansfield started his career in law enforcement officer at the age of 25, and now has been serving his community for more than 37 years. Before retiring in 2012, he served with the North Salt Lake Police, Woods Cross Police, Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Adult Probation and Parole, the Midvale City Police, and Utah Transit Authority Police Department.
Colleagues and Family say that he is trustworthy, honest, sincere, and has always stood up for those in danger. In one particular case, Officer Mansfield stopped theft of arcade tokens used for boarding transit trains and his investigation led to eight arrests. Officer Mansfield has suffered multiple injuries in the line of duty, including a life-threatening gunshot to the leg.
He stays busy as a security officer and volunteer Chaplain at the local children’s hospital. He also serves as Chaplain of his local American Legion Post. Officer Mansfield is active in many community activities, also active in several cancer support groups, as he is a cancer survivor himself. He has received many awards, including a Purple Heart and the Medal of Valor for saving a fellow officer’s life.
We are excited to announce our May Nominate a Hero winner is…
Francis Cheney!
Francis is a full-time firefighter and part-time nurse at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. Before serving in these life-saving capacities, Fran was a Paramedic. Firefighting runs in Fran’s family. His father was a retired Philadelphia Fire Department Captain who served for more than 30 years.
On July 4, 2012, Fran entered a smoke-filled home and heard a woman in distress on the 2nd floor. When Fran found her, she was trapped, panicked and out of breathe from breathing in too much smoke. In a split-second decision, Fran took a big breath, removed his tank and put it on the woman. Both got out safely, although Fran was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Fran later met the woman he saved, and presented her with about $500 of his own overtime pay to help her and her family.
On April 9, Fran was injured in a warehouse fire. He was inspecting an adjacent building to the warehouse when the wall and roof began to fall. Fran was buried in the rubble but managed to dig himself out. Two of Fran’s Ladder 10 firefighter brothers, Lt. Robert Neary and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, were killed in the fire and and Firefighter Patrick Nally sustained serious injuries. Fran was able to return to work 3 weeks later. Fran donated his Hero of the Month prize money to the Philadelphia Firefighters Local 22 Widow’s Fund.
We are excited to announce our June Nominate a Hero winner is…
Beth Miles!
Beth is a Registered Nurse working in the ambulatory surgery unit of an Illinois hospital. Beth was nominated by friend and fellow nurse, Terri, for her exceptional patient care and overall admirable attitude. After Terri first nominated Beth, the letters began to flood in. When all was said and done, we received more than 14 individual letters about Beth- more than any other Nominate a Hero candidate thus far-from patients, coworkers (Nurses and Doctors), and even the Mayor. To highlight Beth and show you some of the reasons our audiences voted her our July Nominate a Hero winner, I have included some excerpts from her nomination letters here:
I have experienced firsthand… that she is an extremely caring and dedicated nurse always going above and beyond the call of duty in all aspects of her professions. Beth contributes significantly her knowledge and experience to nursing colleagues and other care givers and is well-respected by all members of the healthcare team. She is a great people person and shares laughter throughout the working day, all while maintaining a professional atmosphere and putting the patient first. -Mayor Ezard, City of Jacksonville
Beth’s official title is “Registered Nurse” but to those who know her she is much more than that. She is a friend, a confidante, a staunch supporter of patient safety and an unyielding opponent of poor or apathetic care. -Peter R., M.D.
Beth is a constant example of the positive attitude and upbeat personality we all aspire to display. -S. Ford, R.N.
I am the nurse I am today because of her mentoring and role modeling… Beth’s ability to relate and communicate with patients and families had the biggest impact on me. -Leanne W., Clinical Director and Manager
Rarely have I met someone of Beth’s caliber… Our deaf patients adore her because she interacts with them directly and treats them with respect… Beth’s sense of humor and experience put the patient at ease. Each patient feels like they are getting undivided attention. She is successful at all of her endeavors and a leader among her colleagues. -Joan O., Colleague
Here is why her coworker, Terri, chose to nominate Beth in the first place:
Congratulations, Beth!
Check back in on Beth in November, and help her become our Grand Nominate a Hero Winner!
