Be A Hero

Highlighting volunteers who make a difference in their communities in many ways, with the hope of inspiring others to volunteer, and be a hero.

Hero Awards: Three Ordinary Citizens Step Up In Extraordinary Circumstances 06/04/2025

Hero Awards: Three Ordinary Citizens Step Up In Extraordinary Circumstances /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36854995

Be A Hero: An Off Duty Fireman Is Never Off Duty 06/03/2025

Be A Hero: An Off Duty Fireman Is Never Off Duty For Twinsburg Firefighter and Paramedic Izzy Abdallah, his off day was anything but. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36834630

Hero Awards: An Uber Driver Going Above the Call of Duty 06/02/2025

Hero Awards: An Uber Driver Going Above the Call of Duty Uber Driver Matthew Certain noticed something strange after dropping off his first rider one February evening - the neighbor's garage was on fire! That's when he sprung into action and potentially saved a life. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36819865

Hero Awards: A Driver's Training Kicks In Before His Bus Goes Up In Flames 05/29/2025

Hero Awards: A Driver's Training Kicks In Before His Bus Goes Up In Flames Cleveland Heights/ University Heights School District Bus Driver Dorian Pace was working his normal bus route when something went wrong. A mechanical failure on the bus forced Dorian to act fast and make sure a busload of kids were safe and unharmed. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36774620

Hero Awards: The U.S. Coast Guard In Action 05/29/2025

Hero Awards: The U.S. Coast Guard In Action For members of the U.S. Coast Guard working at the Cleveland Harbor Station, things can change at a moments notice. That was the case this October day that started out calm and quickly turned into a daring rescue mission. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36774515

Military Appreciation: Air Force Veteran's first Red Cross deployment 05/16/2025

Military Appreciation: Air Force Veteran's first Red Cross deployment For Nasir Ahmad, deployment was nothing new. As an Air Force veteran, he'd been on multiple deployments. But this his first as a member of the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces team was new territory for him. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/36594260

Hurricanes Helene and Milton: Back-to-back storms and the heroes who responded 12/10/2024

Hurricanes Helene and Milton: Back-to-back storms and the heroes who responded In this episode five Red Cross disaster responders from Northern Ohio talk about how they helped people impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton during the early autumn of 2024. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/34354545

Officers save choking child on Halloween 10/18/2024

Officers save choking child on Halloween Officers Holly Alferio and Alexis Dixon of the Avon, Ohio police department saved the life of a choking child on Halloween in 2023. They have been chosen as winners of a 2024 Hero Award, presented by the American Red Cross of North Central Ohio. On this episode, the officers explain how they came across a panicked mother on the side of the road, as they were on their way to pass out candy. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/33517097

Saved from a Home Fire - 2024 North Central Ohio Heroes 10/08/2024

Saved from a Home Fire - 2024 North Central Ohio Heroes Jerry Klear and Bob Verhoff teamed up to save a physically-challenged woman and her young granddaughter from a home fire in rural Ottawa County, and for their heroics, they are receiving a 2024 Hero Award from the American Red Cross of North Central Ohio. Jerry was driving by when he noticed smoke coming from the home, and Bob is a niehgbor who also saw the fire. They describe what they did and why. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/33364927

Heroes save driver from drowning 09/24/2024

Heroes save driver from drowning A team effort helped save a young driver who fell asleep behind the wheel and flipped his car into a water-filled ditch. The first bystander to stop called 9-1-1, while two others broke a window in an attempt to pull the driver out of the upside down car. Deputy Dylan Rohrbaugh and Lt. Craig Ritz of the Erie County, Ohio Sheriff's Department arrived shortly thereafter, and describe the way in which they were able to save the driver. All three bystanders and the two law enforcement officers will be presented with Hero Awards on October 23, 2024 from the American Red Cross of North Central Ohio. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/33187617

How to be prepared for extreme weather 09/03/2024

How to be prepared for extreme weather September is National Preparedness Month. The American Red Cross encourages residents to get ready for disasters by making a plan to stay safe, gathering important supplies and knowing how you’ll stay connected. 19 News Meteorologist Jeff Tanchak explains the current weather patterns that may have a bearing on what kind of winter we should expect in Northern Ohio. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/32800177

Charlotte's Journey 03/26/2024

Charlotte's Journey Five years following a bone marrow transplant and a lot of blood and platelet transfusiojns, Charlotte Rerko remains cancer free. But it was a challenging journey, made possible only because of generous blood and platelet donors. Charlotte talks about her journey with Red Cross communicators Jim McIntyre and Christy Peters of the Northern Ohio Region. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/30551573

Acts of Courage Award Winner Tim Graichen 02/28/2024

Acts of Courage Award Winner Tim Graichen Tim Graichen witnessed a violent car crash while on his way back to Akron from a work event in Tennessee. He used his Red Cross First Aid and CPR training to help save the life of the driver, who showed no signs of life at the scene of the crash. Tim talks about performing CPR for more than 15 minutes, his worry over being contaminated with the stranger's blood, and what became of the driver he assisted. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/30021958

Acts of Courage Award Winner Terra White 02/21/2024

Acts of Courage Award Winner Terra White She's the Sandra Bullock of the Akron Fire Department. If you're familiar with the movie Speed, Terra's harrowing story of survival will be familiar to you. If not - just wait until you hear this veteran firefighter/paramedic calmly recount the scary seconds that could have meant life or death for her and her partner when the ambulance she was riding in went out of control. "I'm pretty sure that our ambulance is gonna need a new set of brakes, along with some body work," Terra said during the interview. She is a 2024 Acts of Courage Award Winner, sponsored by the American Red Cross of Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/29975548

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners - KSU Nursing Students 02/06/2024

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners - KSU Nursing Students Three students of the Kent State University School of Nursing helped save a man in distress in downtown Wooster, Ohio. The man was experiencing a violent seizure when students Audrey Jokovich, Keenan Orr, and Marissa Tyger happened to be walking by as they were working on a school assignment. They provided aid and obtained valuable information about the patient before EMS arrived on the scene. All three credit their Red Cross Basic Life Support training for helping them know what to do and how to stay calm in a very stressful situation. Hosted by Jim McIntyre, Regional Communications Director of the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio (and proud KSU grad - class of '81.) /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/29716848

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners Hannah Stein and Jenna Omar 01/30/2024

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners Hannah Stein and Jenna Omar Hannah Stein saved a woman from drowning in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and Jenna Omar performed abdominal thrusts in her school cafeteria to save a fellow seventh-grader. Both tell their stories to Jim McIntyre and Christy Peters of the Red Cross Communications Department. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/29704353

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners Don Sedlock and Brian Gorham 01/24/2024

2024 Acts of Courage Award Winners Don Sedlock and Brian Gorham Summit County Sherrif's deputy Brian Gorham and Don Sedlock, a bystander who spotted a fire in his neighborhood teamed up to help rescue an elderly man who was trapped in the home, and have been named Acts of Courage award winners for 2024 in the Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley chapter. Red Cross Communicators Christy Peters and Jim McIntyre of the Northern Ohio Region get their story, and talk to Brunswick Fire Chief Greg Glauner about the importance of the partnershipp with the Red Cross to end home fires. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/29626423

2024 Winter Emergency Blood Shortage 01/09/2024

2024 Winter Emergency Blood Shortage Dylan Fink, who underwent treatment for non-hodgkin's lymphoma at age 14, talks about the importance of having an adequate blood supply for patients like him. His treatment included multiple blood transfusions. He's joined by his father, Ed Fink, who with wife Krista started the Fearless Fighters Foundation. Red Cross biomedical expert Christy Peters sheds light on the reasons for the current blood shortage and ways to end it. Hosted by Jim McIntyre, regional communications manager for tghe American Red Cross of Northern Ohio. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/29408168

2023 Disaster Responses 10/27/2023

2023 Disaster Responses Regional Communications Director Jim McIntyre is joined by Mike Parks, CEO of the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio, Emily Probst, Regional Disaster Officer, and Rebecca Siedler, a Red Cross volunteer as they discuss a number of disaster responses that took place in the region and across the country in 2023. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/28442747

Coast Guard Rescuer - NEO Hero Nathaniel Howard 06/13/2023

Coast Guard Rescuer - NEO Hero Nathaniel Howard Petty Officer Nathaniel Howard, a Boatswain's Mate Second Class based at the United States Coast Guard Station Cleveland Harbor was off-duty and out to dinner with his girlfriend (soon-to-be fiance') when he was unexpectedly pressed into action. He rescued a wife and husband who were floating helplessly in the rushing Cuyahoga River in April, 2022. It's as much a cautionary tale as it is a harrowing story that would likely have had a much different outcome had Petty Officer Hoaward taken his girlfirend somewhere else for dinner that night! /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/27137772

Fire Rescue Heroes 06/01/2023

Fire Rescue Heroes Several people were honored with 2023 American Red Cross of Northeast Ohio Hero Awards, after pulling people out of their burning homes. Amazon driver John Davis, Ubert East driver Christopher Baldwin, Euclid police officers Trevor Thomas and George Harper, and several members of the Cleveland Rams semi-pro football team describe the actions that led to their Hero Awards. Host: Jim McIntyre, Regional Communications Director, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/27004686

Acts of Courage Award Winners Jim Schulte and Miles Copeland 05/23/2023

Acts of Courage Award Winners Jim Schulte and Miles Copeland Two Toledo firefighters - both athletes - were pressed into service at separate times in 2022 to save a life. Jim Schule is a lieutenant and a hockey player on a 50-and-over league, and helped save the life of a fellow hockey player. Firefighter Miles Copleland plays semi-pro basketball and helped save the life of a referee. Both used their CPR skills, and the stories both athletes share in this episode are testaments to the benefit of knowing how to perform CPR and to use an AED. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26920377

Delta Airline Flight Attendants Save a Life - And Win an Award 04/25/2023

Delta Airline Flight Attendants Save a Life - And Win an Award Johna Rushlow and Kim Murray were not on duty, but were at home, enjoying a mild December evening when their flight attendant training kicked-in, as they rescued a neighbor from his burning home. As a result, the neighbor is alive and well, and Johna and Kim are recipients of Acts of Courage Awards from the American Red Cross of Western Lake Erie. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26649246

First Responder Award Winners - Western Lake Erie Chapter Acts of Courage 04/17/2023

First Responder Award Winners - Western Lake Erie Chapter Acts of Courage Hundreds of responders helped injured and stranded motorists in blizzard-like conditions on the Ohio Turnpike on December 23, 2022. The Red Cross of Western Lake Erie is recognizxing them with the first-ever First Responder award, to be presented at the Acts of Courage Award dinner on April 27, 2023. Three of those responders are featured on this episode - Trooper Andrew Lash of the Ohio Highway Patrol, Captain Ben Quaintence of the Freemont, Ohio Fire Department, and Lora Taylor, Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross of North Central Ohio. The Executive Director of the Red Cross of Western Lake Erie joins Regional Communications Director Jim McIntyre as they learn of the heroic actions of so many firsr responders. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26566533

Helping People Cope with Losses Following Tornadoes 04/05/2023

Helping People Cope with Losses Following Tornadoes Red Cross volunteer Coleen Kulkin provided assistance to people in Mississippi following a rash of tornadoes in the spring of 2023. She describes the heartbreak and the hope she witnessed in this episode. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26453475

Acts of Courage Award Winners Nicole and Lindsey Bechter 03/28/2023

Acts of Courage Award Winners Nicole and Lindsey Bechter Sisters Nicole and Lindsey Bechter performed CPR and used an AED on a fallen volleyball player while they were working as referees at Clutch Lanes in Cuyahoga Falls last summer. They talk about the ordeal, and update the condition of the fallen player. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26316657

Acts of Courage Award Winners Part Two - Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley 03/13/2023

Acts of Courage Award Winners Part Two - Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley An Akron police officer who ran into a burning house, and the Akron firefighter/paramedic who arrived a short time later talk about their harrowing experience trying to save a disabled woman from the home. And two Akron school teachers describe their separate but similar experiences helpingh choking children. Hosts: Jim McIntyre and Christy Peters, American Red Cross regional communicators. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/26016027

Acts of Courage Award Winners Jim Kuhn and Easton Spann 02/28/2023

Acts of Courage Award Winners Jim Kuhn and Easton Spann Part one of our Hero interviews. Bus driver Jim Kuhn explains how he reacted when a passenger passed out at the door of his bus, likely saving the passenger's life. And five-year old Easton Spann talks about helping his grandmother after she suffered a seizure. Both are among the winners of the 2023 Acts of Courage Awards presented by the American Red Cross of Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/25999311

The Importance of Knowing CPR/AED 02/14/2023

The Importance of Knowing CPR/AED American Red Cross CPR Instructor Erin Hosek explains how to perform the lifesaving skill, how to use an AED, and how to help someone who's choking. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/25924392

Red Cross Responds to Hurricane Ian 01/24/2023

Red Cross Responds to Hurricane Ian Red Cross volunteer Lisa Mize of Huron, Ohio and employee Jill Patterson reflect on their experiences during their first-ever deployment to a disaster response. They both went, at different times, to Florida to help people who had been affected by Hurricane Ian. /episode/index/show/neoredcross/id/25715070

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