by Christie Chapman
Staff Writer - Landover Gazette
Red Cross notes 'Real Everyday Heroes'
Firefighters, EMTs and "angels" in health care will get a show of appreciation from the Prince George's County chapter of the American Red Cross today.
The third annual "Real Everyday Heroes" awards ceremony highlighted doers of good deeds and lifesavers in the county, including six from the Landover area.
"Our goal is to provide an opportunity for everyday people who have extended themselves for the good of humanity to be recognized," said Janice Williams, CEO of the county chapter of the American Red Cross. "The first year, we simply recognized extraordinary acts of kindness. Last year, we celebrated the outpouring of kindness after Sept. 11. This year we're honoring people that reached out despite all that's going on with the sniper attacks and the threat of war."
Ada Ezeani of Cheverly, the winner of the Health-care Provider award, will be recognized for her personal touch in treating one of her patients.
Driving home from her job as an occupational therapist at Prince George's Hospital in Cheverly, Ezeani came upon the scene of an accident: A woman exiting a bus had been struck by a vehicle and lay in the road.
Ezeani directed people nearby not to move the victim due to some of her injuries, and held the victim's hand until the ambulance arrived. Ezeani is now the woman's occupational therapist.
Another hospital staff member who extended her lifesaving duties beyond her normal working hours is Roxanne Trosky of Cheverly, who will receive the EMT award.
While off duty earlier this year, Trosky, a registered respiratory therapist at the hospital, rescued a man who had been trapped inside his burning truck by pulling him to safety.
When a bystander went into cardiac arrest due to the fire, Trosky revived the patient with CPR.
For many of the award recipients, saving lives is all in a day's work.
Two members of the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department in Landover, Capt. Michael S. Mattison of Landover and Rych N. Pullen of Landover, will be honored.
Mattison will receive an award for emergency response and Pullen is the recipient of the Citizen Fire Rescuer award.
In July 2001, Mattison assisted in rescuing a dump truck driver whose truck had turned on its side on I-95 and was hanging over the Suitland Parkway.
In May 2001, Pullen rescued a 12-year-old from the third floor of a burning apartment. He was mentioned in the April 2000 issue of Firehouse magazine for a similar rescue in 1999.
Both firefighters have also received medals of valor from their department.
Michele Larson of Cheverly, director of the cardiac rehabilitation program at Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, will be given the Health-care Angel award.
Larson is the manager of the cardiac rehabilitation center in the hospital's heart center. All of the patients who have undergone surgery, and many other cardiac patients, are referred to her.
In the "Beyond the Call" category, Will Wright of Capitol Heights is one of three winners in the county.
While driving to work in May, Wright, as well as fellow Comcast Maryland CommTech employees Oscar Burtado and Tim Thomas, saw a major accident at a Largo intersection.
The three each stopped their trucks and freed a trapped and choking victim from her burning vehicle and carried her to safety.
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