Photo By Staff Sgt. Brittany Washington | U.S. Army Soldiers Sgt. Roberta Lee, left, Spc. Alexander Leal, center, and Staff Sgt....... read more read more
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FORT DRUM, N.Y. – The Marriott Syracuse Downtown bustled with excitement Dec. 4 as supporters of the American Red Cross came out to recognize North Country heroes, including two 10th Mountain Division (LI) Soldiers, who saved the life of an infant during a routine training event on Fort Drum.
The Central and Northern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross brought these individuals together to honor them for their acts of heroism within their communities.
While Sgt. Roberta Lee and Spc. Alex Leal, previously assigned to 41st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, were recognized last year for their efforts in helping a family in need, the American Red Cross took it one step further by contacting their leadership about honoring them once more.
“I felt like a proud mom,” said Staff Sgt. Turkesa Smith, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Medical Section Non-commissioned Officer for the 41st Engineer Battalion. “To be recognized by an organization that does so much for so many shows that there are people out there that still support the military and are proud of the things we are doing.”
Proud is an understatement of how Lee and Leal said they felt about receiving this prestigious award.
“It felt really cool to be recognized by the Red Cross,” Leal said. “We are always helping give blood and everything, and they’re a big organization, so it is cool to be recognized by them as a hero.”
The American Red Cross responds to an emergency or disaster every eight minutes to provide blood donations, certification, and emergency assistance.
Lee and Leal’s category, Military Hero Award, fell among six other categories that recognized many other North Country community heroes for various reasons. The awardees were introduced as they entered the banquet room, lunch was served, and their stories were told.
In September 2023, Lee and Leal, along with Staff Sgt. Jarrett Rivera and Spc. Chloe Badiel, were doing Basic Soldier Tasks training at the Staff Sgt. Sergeant Michael Ollis Weapon Training Center when a woman jumped out of a nearby car yelling that her baby was not breathing.
“All I heard was ‘Medic, we need help!’ By the time I got there, Leal and Badiel were already there,” Lee said. “I proceeded to take the baby, do the back blows, check the airway, do what I was supposed to do.”
Just a month before the incident, Lee had taken the Pediatric Advanced Life Support or PALS course on Fort Drum that prepared her for this exact situation.
While to the Soldiers they were just doing their jobs, they said they felt honored to be recognized and appreciated for what they do.
“I feel really appreciated,” Lee said. “Especially on my way out of the military. This will be my good story to tell.”
Rivera and Badiel were unable to attend the ceremony, but the American Red Cross will have someone present them with their awards as well.
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2024 14:57 |
| Story ID: | 487086 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 63 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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