The Southern Tier American Red Cross hosted it Real Heroes breakfast on May 25, 2023, at the DoubleTree in Binghamton. We are honored that Vestal Middle School Nurse Michelle Hroncich was selected to receive the chapter's Education Award for 2023.
Here is her Real Heroes' story, from the event program:
"It was April 18, 2022, when School Nurse Michelle Hroncich responded to a cardiac medical incident in the hallway at Vestal Middle School. Medical bag in hand, Michelle saw a student lying on the floor. She rolled the student over and began treatment. MIchelle deployed four rounds of defibrillation using the school's AED and administered several sequences of CPR for 10 minutes until EMS crews arrived.
Michelle has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years and specialized in cardiac care. In addition, she has been a CPR instructor and paramedic. One medical professional commented that the student 'hit the trifecta' with Michelle as her multiple skills and detailed knowledge were invaluable during this response. Hospital staff reported that the CPR was successful and that the student was stable, awake, and talking. Doctors shared with the student's parents that were it not for the intervention received at the school, their child would not have made it to the hospital.
Michelle said that it was humbling to learn that the student was doing well; one month later, the student was back in school and graduated from the eighth grade two months later. Michelle commented that she was trained to be the calm in the storm, training for the worst and hoping for the best. In this case, the best certainly prevailed."
Michelle was nominated by Jeffrey Ahearn, Vestal Superintendent, Regina Felice, Public Information Coordinator, and Sarah Wiggins, Vestal Middle School Principal.
The American Red Cross Real Heroes breakfast is held to honor local, everyday people whose actions exemplify the true spirit of the American Red Cross: humanity, strength and courage. Our Southern Tier Red Cross serves the counties of Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schuyler, Steuben, Sullivan, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties in New York and Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania.