John has been working as a Firefighter/EMS for almost 25 years with 2 different departments. He is a local hero, rescuing neighbors and friends. Outside of the job, he often helps in the community, and treats everyone like family.
John has been a true inspiration for his own family. He son is also a paramedic/firefighter, and his wife also works with the department. On or off duty, John is always willing to help people. He enjoys teaching CPR to the community to help prepare for emergency situations.
In 2000, Dustin realized he wanted to work in law enforcement, and soon after, he started with the Shasta County Sheriff’s office. He put in his time working with the local jail, and soon made it to patrol.
In October 2010, Mrs. Reynolds received the call no police wife wants: “You need to come to the hospital, there has been an accident.” Dustin was in the hospital receiving 28 staples in his head from a harrowing altercation.
Now that he has recovered, Dustin makes a strong impact on his community. He works as a Detective for the Shasta County Coroner’s Office, and is noted for his ability to offer comfort for other families during tough times in their lives.
Dustin continues to do presentations at local schools, showing children what life is like in law enforcement. He is also very active in coaching youth football.
Katie has worked many years with Hospice and developed a strong love for her patients. She truly cares for them, their families, and her students. Katie also teaches at a University.
When she received a late night call from the wife of a patient who was recently diagnosed with cancer, Katie arrived within minutes. She made it a priority to make this patient as comfortable as possible. Katie then had to explain to his wife that he would not make it through the night and she would be there until the end.
Katie came to get his wife, and let her know that that she could climb in bed with her husband and be with him through the night until he passed. Katie stayed close by in the room, going above the call for the patient’s care and his spouse. Katie loves her job as a nurse, and teaching others how to be the kind of nurse to be proud of.
After a terrible accident, doctors believed Maria would never walk, talk, or teach again. Maria had other plans, and that diagnosis was not going to keep her from her passion.
Overcoming the odds, Maria is now the Head of the English Department and the Faculty Advisory Committee.
Like many peace officers, Officer David Struss willingly stepped into the face of danger to protect someone he had never met. While off duty, Struss witnessed a man with a 7 inch knife attacking patrons in a parking lot. Officer Struss disarmed the attacker and pinned him to the ground.
After Struss neutralized the attacker, he began assisting the victim. The attacker stabbed two people, one of whome did not recover. Officer Struss attended to the other victim until medical units arrived. If not for Officer Struss’s heroic actions, the attacker likely would have claimed at least one more life, and possible several more.
Some say Steve is just a ‘young pup” as a nurse, and still learning what an impact he has on others. Co-workers say that he takes great pride in teamwork and is the go-to man to help out. Patients of all ages seem to gravitate to his fun personality. He serves as a volunteer staff nurse for Camp Braveheart, a week long camp for YMCA for kids.
He also created and implemented the Friend Advocate Nurse Program, which helps pair a RN with each patient for support, creating a friendly safe connection for the patient. Friends say he often mentions that he wants to be more than average at things. They also say he is the type of person to always be there with staff growing and learning, keeping a positive spin and smiling brightening everyone’s day.
