Honoring people, and a city: Red Cross recognizes local heroes
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SPRINGFIELD - In the wake of the Dec. 27 arsons that ripped through downtown Northampton - taking lives, destroying homes and vehicles - Northampton had its "finest hours," according to the American Red Cross Pioneer Valley Chapter, which honored the city as well as other "hometown heroes" in a ceremony Thursday morning.
"I have never seen so many acts of kindness and heroism," said Rick Lee, executive director of the Red Cross chapter and the event's co-host. "I've never seen a city come together like this, putting their personal and political interests aside to turn defeat into compassion and action."
The chapter honored 10 people as well as the city of Northampton for bravery in the face of danger and commitment to the community at an awards breakfast at the MassMutual Center in Springfield Thursday. Several hundred people attended.
Local heroes included Evelyn Gore, a teacher's aide at Ryan Road School, and her son Grant Martin of Northampton, who made their way through a smoke-filled apartment complex to save a neighbor in the burning building.
Also recognized was John A. O'Leary of Southampton, who rescued a car wash attendant whose scarf became wrapped around a spinning brush, drawing ever tighter and choking her until she blacked out. O'Leary, who was getting his car washed, cut her free, noticed she wasn't breathing, and administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until the woman regained consciousness.
After the ceremony - and in between graciously accepting gratitude from the car wash's employees - O'Leary said the award meant a great deal to him because it comes from the Red Cross.
"The special work they do for a living and they want to recognize me? That makes this special," O'Leary said.
"I'm just really glad that things worked out that day, that I didn't do anything stupid," he said. "I don't know how I'd feel if things went another way."
Thursday's event marks the first time the award honored an entire city, said Paige Thayer, department director of chapter support for the Red Cross. She said when the nominating committee was weighing the 45 finalists for the award, the decision to commend Northampton was unanimous.
"They'd never seen anything like what the people of Northampton had done to help out each other in a difficult time," Thayer said. "We needed to figure out something to celebrate Northampton."
On Dec. 27, homes and motor vehicles in downtown neighborhoods were struck by more than a dozen arson fires, resulting in the deaths of a father and son. Officials estimate the fires caused at least $1.5 million in property damage.
Within days, community members established the Northampton Neighbors Relief Fund, administered by the United Way, to help the arson victims. In less than two months, the fund raised more than $80,000 for victims and the Pioneer Valley Red Cross - four times the goal.
There were bake sales in front of Thornes Marketplace, an ice fishing derby on the Oxbow, benefit concerts, art shows, yoga lessons, dinners, and many more charitable efforts. One woman went door-to-door in Northampton's downtown, asking business owners to donate to the victims.
A Facebook page was created to coordinate the efforts, as well as to alert people to clothing and kitchen-ware collections for the victims, and to offer transportation to people who lost vehicles in the fires.
"It was one of Northampton's finest hours," Lee said.
Accepting the award for the city was Mayor Clare Higgins. Higgins thanked city residents for their generosity as well as city police and firefighters, firefighters from the 14 towns that sent mutual aid to Northampton "on that terrible night," and the Northwestern district attorney's office for its quick response.
"All those folks who came together to help raise money for their neighbors and friends, that's what the Red Cross does, and that's what the community did," Higgins said.
The award will be on display in the mayor's office.
"I am hugely proud of our city and how everyone stepped up in the days of the fires and right through to today," Higgins said. "Thank you for this recognition."
