Local heroes honored at ceremony
HEROES: Firefighter rescued man from tree
| Friday, Mar 05 2010 11:20 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 05 2010 11:22 PM
Marcie Farmer was no stranger to the Kern River. The Bodfish resident had been on river rafting trips before, but last July's ride down the Lickety-Split run north of Kernville was the first time she had ridden an inner tube down the river. As it turned out, it was nearly the last trip she would ever take -- anywhere.
Farmer, her boyfriend, her son and some friends were near the end of the run when Farmer dangled her feet down through the center of the tube.
Suddenly her shoe was caught fast on something on the river bottom, later believed to be a piece of steel rebar.
Farmer's head was above water, her arms over the tube -- so she was able to breathe -- but she couldn't free herself.
"I was just in shock," she remembered. "Suddenly I'm stopped, the river rushing around me."
But she didn't think it was life-threatening. Not at first.
But as the swift current pulled continuously at the inner tube, Farmer's upper body began to ache.
"I was getting very tired," she said. "Many people tried to help me, including my boyfriend."
But the river's current just pushed them past her.
"The tube was slipping," she recalled. "I thought about my son and was glad he wasn't there to see me -- to see what was happening.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer."
Nearly two blocks away, Lucian Whitman, the proprietor of Rivertoyz novelty shop,was getting ready to close up when someone ran through the door asking for help.
"I grabbed a life jacket, kicked off my sandals and started running toward the river," he remembered.
"The biggest thing I had to overcome was the fear of failure," he said. "What if I couldn't get her out?
"So I made a vow to myself: Once I reach her, I'm not going to let her go."
Whitman dove into the water upstream with the intention of hitting Farmer's legs. He was concerned he might break her ankle or leg in the process, but time was short. There was little choice.
Farmer was starting to panic. Her boyfriend was exhausted after repeated attempts to help her. She could see the look on his face -- and it scared her.
"Then I felt something hit my legs," Farmer said.
And just like that, she was free.
Whitman and several other Kern County residents were recognized Friday evening by the the American Red Cross-Kern Chapter as Real Heroes for 2010. The names, chosen from a record 86 nominations, were announced at a reception held at the law offices of Young Wooldridge. Besides Whitman, those honored included a firefighter, police officers, a physician, a high school student, an educator, a decorated Korean War veteran, a volunteer mother and two Kern soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq.
Congressman Kevin McCarthy, honorary chairman of the annual event, spoke about each honoree, about the difference they make to the quality of life in Kern County.
"Thank you," he told them. "You make this community a better place to live."
Whitman was honored in the Heroic Act category. Following are the other honorees in various categories:
Outstanding Youth Role Model: Martin Daniel Barrios III was just 15, a Highland High School sophomore, when he smelled smoke coming from somewhere in his east Bakersfield neighborhood. When he went outside, he realized that the house three doors down was on fire. "What does he do?" McCarthy said. "He kicks down the door and gets three people out." They were all under 6 years of age. "He deserves special recognition for this selfless act," Highland High English teacher Teresa Johns said in nominating the teen.
Law Enforcement: Besides being recipients of the Real Heroes award, Officers Aaron Stringer and Isaac Aleman were also nominated for consideration to receive the Bakersfield Police Department Medal of Valor for their actions on the night of Sept. 20. At just before midnight, the pair received a suspicious circumstances call describing two males running into a convenience store on Wilson Road. Believing it was a possible robbery in progress, the officers parked a short distance from the store and approached on foot.
After seeing movement behind the store Aleman went to check it out. Suddenly gunfire erupted and a .380 caliber round struck Aleman in the upper leg. Aleman dropped to one knee and returned fire as the suspect was backing up. Stringer recognized his partner had been hit and also returned fire. One suspect was wounded and taken into custody. A second suspect was also arrested.
Although Stringer could not be present at Friday's event, Aleman was there to accept the award. He returned to duty four weeks after being wounded.
Firefighter: Bakersfield Fire Depart-ment paramedic Scott Smith last October rescued a seriously injured tree trimmer hanging helpless from an 80-foot palm tree. The frond ball near the top of the tree had broken partially free and fell against the trimmer's torso, leaving his pelvis against the trunk and literally bending his upper body backward at nearly a 90-degree angle. The man could hardly speak when Smith reached him by truck ladder. The man was held in place by only his climbing spikes and a rope that was wrapped around the tree.
"There's no specific training for a situation like this," Smith said. "This was one of those times when you just have to adapt and overcome."
"Now and then, you find yourself in a situation where you just do what you have to do," said Battalion Chief Garth Milam said. "Scott did what he had to do."
Outstanding Adult Role Model: On June 22, 2002, Carla Pearson lost her stepson Adam Pierce in a crash involving a drunken driver. In the years since, Pearson has become a tireless advocate for stronger laws governing impaired drivers and has worked as a court advocate on myriad cases. At Friday's event, she said she's currently working 15 homicide cases. She even helped author Adam's Law, a statute that targets repeat DUI offenders, and is the president of Bakersfield area Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.
"The countless hours Carla has spent in the courtroom and in meetings with state lawmakers educating herself on DUI laws has made her an invaluable resource for local prosecutors, probation officials and law enforcement officers," BPD Lt. Scott McDonald wrote in his nomination letter.
Military: While Larry Ybanez was unable to be present at Friday's event, his reputation as a highly decorated Korean War veteran seemed a presence all its own. Not only is Ybanez the winner of a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts, the Bakersfield man has spent countless hours volunteering to assist his fellow veterans. In fact, this year marks the 52nd year Ybanez has volunteered his time, according to the man who nominated him, Bob Delano. In his role as the driver of a van that transports veterans to and from the VA hospital in Southern California, Ybanez has logged more than 15,000 hours and 288,685 miles.
Educator: Lisa Kane, director of Lighthouse Christian School, received the award for her work with special needs children in the school's enrichment program.
Other heroes:
Outstanding Volunteer Group: Wounded Heroes Fund. Board members Scott and Jennifer Barnett accepted the award.
Medical Professional: Vipul R. Dev, M.D.
Fallen Heroes: Army Reserve Maj. Jason E. George; Army Sgt. Joshua W. Soto
