Heroes Among Us—

Newtown Will Be Well Represented

At Annual Red Cross Ceremony

By Shannon Hicks

Two residents and one youth group from Newtown will be among this year’s ten honorees when the Connecticut Region of the American Red Cross hosts its 2011 Heroes Breakfast Celebration on March 10.

Dr Paul Kelly, MD, Western Connecticut State University freshman Wesley Yllanes, and God’s Do-Gooders, a youth group of St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, will all be recognized for their efforts to save lives and make those of others better. Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra will be among the attendees, and is expected to present an award to at least one of the Newtown recipients.

Heroes are selected from community nominations and are recognized in one of ten categories: Firefighter, Law Enforcement (including 911 operators), Military, Water Safety, Medical Professionals, Animal Rescue, Good Samaritan — Adult, Good Samaritan — Youth, Community Impact, and Spirit of the Red Cross (impact locally, nationally, and internationally).

A Good Samaritan

Wesley Yllanes will receive the Good Samaritan — Youth Award next week. Wesley, 18, became an emergency medical technician (EMT) in August 2009, around the same time he joined Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps as its new Junior Corps chief.

Last September while driving home from classes at WestConn, Wesley came upon a vehicle that had veered across the oncoming traffic lane and had gone off the road, striking the pillar at the top of a driveway.

“It was a minor accident, the vehicle had swerved off the road,” Wesley said this week.

Upon checking the vehicle, however, Wesley discovered that the male driver was unconscious and unresponsive. A witness to the accident had already called 911, but being the first on the scene with medical training to back his actions, Wesley immediately went into action.

He pulled the victim out of the vehicle and, while Dodgingtown Fire and Newtown Ambulance rolled onto the scene, Wesley began CPR.

“It was eye-opening for me, at the very least,” he said. “I had done CPR before, but had not been the first to initiate it before that.

“But when I found him, it all just hit me. I knew what I had to do, the order to do everything, and I just went to work,” he said.

The man did not survive the incident. It was later determined that he suffered an acute heart attack before his vehicle swerved and collided with a stone wall and pillar. The man’s death did not make Wesley second guess his wish to be an EMT, however.

“If anything, this has made me more confident in my skills and training,” he said Tuesday afternoon, discussing his past decisions and future plans while visiting the NVAC ambulance garage. “I have wanted to do this as long as I can remember.”

Wesley’s father, Joe Yllanes, has been a member of NVAC for about 20 years.

“I’ve kind of been around here all my life,” said Wesley, who earned his EMT certification just in time to step in for NVAC’s outgoing junior crew co-chiefs. He became a full member of the ambulance corps when he turned 18 in August 2010. Six weeks later, he found himself first on the scene of the accident that is being recognized by the American Red Cross. He may not have saved the man’s life that afternoon, but Wesley followed his training and handled the emergency like a seasoned professional.

“I may become a part-time EMT at some point, but I don’t think I will become a full-time one,” said the middle child of Gaye and Joe Yllaneses’ 15 children. He has yet to declare a major, although he is leaning, he said, toward majoring in criminal justice. Meanwhile, he is happy with his studies, his part-time job as a driver for Drug Center Pharmacy, and his status with NVAC.

“Right now I really enjoy the volunteer aspect of being an EMT in Newtown,” said Wesley.

Doing Good For Others

There are some people who would be offended to be called a “do-gooder.” One group of young adults from St Rose of Lima church wears that label proudly. God’s Do-Gooders exemplify the spirit of the American Red Cross, which is why its members will be honored with The Spirit Of The Red Cross Award on March 10.

Like the Red Cross, God’s Do-Gooders work to change lives locally, nationally, and internationally and provide support to individuals in need. The group was established at St Rose about 5½ years ago, and has been part of the Roman Catholic church’s youth ministry since.

Joe DeMaida is the group’s advisor. He is assisted by Kelly Blessey, Eileen Dunseith, and Mark Renzi.

The Do-Gooders meet once monthly during the school year, and members are middle and high school students. By joining the group, students commit to service of others. “Through our devotion to Jesus, and by his example, we go out into our community to share Christ’s life and light with others,” the group’ mission states in part.

Activities have included volunteering at The Ronald McDonald House, providing food to the hungry, sending letters to members of the military overseas, working with children at a community center, weeding public gardens, and raising money for a school in Kenya.

In 2007 the group’s high school students traveled on a mission trip to Albany, N.Y., for the first time. In July 2009 high school age Do-Gooders returned to help homeowners and others who needed a hand with home repairs, food service, and even artistic expression at a children’s center. The Albany trip has since become an annual event for the group.

“We’ve played Bingo at the Homesteads, participated in Habitat For Humanity projects, visited a women’s shelter in Danbury, and brought dinner to Shelter of the Cross,” Jenn Dunseith, one of the group’s adult leaders at the time, told The Newtown Bee in August 2009. “We’re also in the process of finding more things to do, more groups to help,” she added.

This past December the Do-Gooders helped their church’s Social Concerns Committee with collecting and organizing the incoming donations for the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas food drive. The major collection benefits St Rose parishioners in financial distress, as well as ten area services organizations, including FAITH Food Pantry in Sandy Hook and Newtown’s Department of Social Services.

An Impact On The Community

Paul Kelly, MD, FACC, will receive the Community Impact Award. Dr Kelly is the volunteer medical director of The Malta House Care Van, operated by Malta House of Care-Waterbury Inc.

Since August 2010, the organization has used the van to provide free medical services for uninsured and underinsured citizens of Waterbury. The van — a modified recreational vehicle that has been retrofitted to provide office and medical exam space — operates each Tuesday afternoon at Sacred Heart-Sagrado Corazon Parish.

Patients who visit the van receive free primary health care services including physical exams, diabetes and blood pressure checks, prescription drug management, medical tests, and referrals to other physicians as needed.

His work with Malta House of Care-Waterbury, Inc has helped to improve the quality of life for many underserved people in Waterbury.

In addition to his passion for serving underinsured and uninsured of Waterbury, Dr Kelly has been the driving force for cardiac quality at St Mary’s Hospital, where he is a practicing physician. He is also a cardiologist at Waterbury Hospital, and a member of Cardiology Associates of Waterbury, a private practice that serves the greater Waterbury area.

A Public Event

Also being honored next week will be the following: Firefighters Matt Rees and Francis V. Rizzo of Wilton, and Firefighter Gregory Magrane of Beacon Falls; Mae Flynn of Wolcott, Military Award; David Hare of Middlebury, Law Enforcement Award; Madeleine Zerbe of Brookfield, and Gregory Dalfonzo and Kevin McKenney of Danbury, Water Safety awards; Dr Rools Dessieux, The Medical Professional; and Devin Guy and Ryan Donovan of Middlebury, Good Samaritan — Adult awards.

The American Red Cross-Connecticut will honor local heroes at four Heroes Celebration breakfasts this month and next. In addition to the March 10 to honor heroes of western Connecticut, events are planned on March 16 in Farmington, to honor heroes of northern and eastern Connecticut; March 31 in Trumbull, for lower Fairfield County; and April 7 in New Haven, to honor heroes of greater New Haven.

“These heroes exemplify the work of the Red Cross,” said American Red Cross Connecticut Region CEO Dianne Auger. “Every day, Red Cross volunteers go above and beyond to offer comfort and support in the wake of disasters. The Heroes celebrations recognize ordinary people in our community who do the extraordinary in service to others.”

The public is invited to join the Red Cross for the Danbury event, which will take place at The Amber Room Colonnade, 1 Stacey Road. A contribution of $35 per person is requested. Reservations are requested no later than March 8; to make one, contact Nicole Arsenault at 203-702-1282 or Nicole.Arseanult@CTRedCross.org.

Check-in will open at 7:15 am and the program will begin at 7:30.