Madeline Sweeney Award
for Civilian Bravery
For more than two decades, civilians from throughout Massachusetts have been recognized with the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in saving or defending the lives of others.
Amy, an Acton resident, was an American Airlines flight attendant for 14 years. On September 11, 2001, she was killed aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first aircraft hijacked by terrorists and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
On that fateful day, Amy filled in for a sick colleague on the Boeing 767-200ER scheduled for transcontinental service from Boston Logan International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, carrying 92 passengers and crew.
Once in the air, the plane was overtaken by hijackers. Soon after, Amy called American Airlines Flight Service at Logan Airport. She reached her colleague and friend, service manager Michael Woodward, and calmly conveyed critical information about the hijackers, including their seat numbers, that later helped investigators to determine their identities. She also told Woodward that one of the hijackers had shown her a device with red and yellow wires that appeared to be a bomb.
Amy and her Flight 11 crewmates, Betty Ann Ong and John A. Ogonowski, were the first recipients of the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery.
Shortly after the hijacking, Betty Ong, an Andover resident, notified the American Airlines ground crew of the hijacking. She stayed on the radiophone for 23 minutes to relay vital information that led to the closing of airspace across the country by the FAA, a first in United States history.
John Ogonowski, the Captain of Flight 11, is believed to have been killed by the hijackers prior to the crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The Vietnam War-era Air Force veteran and Dracut resident was a leading advocate on behalf of farming in Massachusetts, particularly in aiding immigrant farmers from Cambodia, whom he assisted as part of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project.
Following are profiles of recipients of the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in the years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
2024 Award Recipient
Jillian Smith
Young mother ran into burning building twice to save elderly neighbors’ lives
On the morning of December 18, 2023, the Wales Police Department responded to a call of a fire at 88 Stafford-Holland Road in Wales. The town was without power caused by severe weather that led to several downed trees and wires.
Jillian Smith, a 26-year-old mother of a baby girl and a Wales native, was alerted by her mother that the neighbors’ house was on fire. She put her baby down for a nap and without hesitation ran next door. She saw her neighbor, Andre Bouchard, coming out of the burning house and attempting to go back inside to find his wife, Madeline, after failing to locate her.
Jillian, without concern for her own safety, quickly entered the building but was turned away by the intense flames and vomited from inhaling smoke. She then re-entered the building and low-crawled to try to avoid the smoke and flames. She located Madeline, who was lying unconscious on the floor near the kitchen, grabbed her arm and pulled her from the burning home onto the front patio area as the flames intensified. With Andre’s assistance, she then moved Madeline Bouchard away from the house.
“There is no doubt that Andre would have continued his efforts and perished trying to rescue Madeline,” Rep. Todd Smola of the 1st Hampden District wrote in his nomination. “Jillian Smith’s heroic actions saved the lives of Madeline and Andre Bouchard.”
Joining Rep. Smola in nominating Smith were Wales Chief of Police Thomas Ford and Fire Chief John Croke, and Massachusetts State Sen. Ryan Fattman of Webster.
“This is such an honor. It was scary…but I’m grateful that our neighbors are alive and well,” Smith said after receiving the award in the Massachusetts Statehouse Chambers. “I would hope others would do the same for those in need – just as Madeline Amy Sweeney did. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”
2023 Award Recipients
Brian and Dylan Clemmer, Bobby Wheeler, and Jonathan Golas
Responded to blast that claims one life, injures another, destroys family home
On the evening of April 13, 2023, residents smelled propane in the back yard of a single-family home where two 100-pound liquid propane gas cylinders were located. Although the fuel company responded and relocated the tank to a location about 20 feet from the home, the tank continued to leak propane gas. The gas, which is heavier than air, traveled through the fieldstone foundation and basement walkout into the home’s basement.
Shortly before 3:30 am on the morning of April 14, the gas was ignited and caused an explosion that demolished the two-story structure completely, damaged three neighboring homes, and two vehicles.
In the aftermath of the explosion, knowing that two women lived in the collapsed home engulfed in flames, neighbors Brian Clemmer, Dylan Clemmer, Bobby Wheeler and Jonathan Golas put their own personal safety at risk to help.
Together with the assistance of Berlin Police Officer Molly Plante, the team searched the scene for any signs of life. Hearing cries for help from under the debris, they successfully rescued a woman, carrying her over live power lines to safety moments before a second explosion engulfed the site and claimed the life of the remaining occupant, a 79-year-old woman. The fire ultimately required personnel from 10 communities who responded to the scene.
“It is an honor on this important day of remembrance to join members of the Massachusetts 9/11 community and Amy Sweeney’s family to present this award to four individuals who took extraordinary action at tremendous personal risk,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “Faced with the danger of an active fire in a hazardous structure, their courageous decision to search and rescue made the difference between life and death. May their example, together with those of the 9/11 community, inspire us to lead lives rooted in service of our neighbors.”
The four Berlin residents were nominated by Berlin Fire Chief Michael McQuillen and Police Chief Eric Schartner.
2022 Award Recipient
Benjamin Galotti
Rescued wheelchair-bound neighbor from house fire
Paul Benjamin Galotti was watching a basketball game on May 15, 2022, when his wife, Eliza, told him there was smoke and noise coming from a neighbor’s home in Easthampton, MA.
Galotti quickly ran to the multifamily building to look for signs of anyone still inside. He was overcome with smoke and retreated outside after 45 seconds. After returning a second time, with only a T-shirt to cover his nose and mouth, Galotti heard the voice of David Martinez from the lower level.
“Your heart is just in your stomach. There was just so much smoke coming out of there, I didn’t even know at that point how someone could be yelling back to me in there,” Galotti told Boston 25 News.
Martinez, who uses a wheelchair, said the walk-out entrance was blocked by flames. “I tried once to get in and get him and thought, there’s nobody else. Am I gonna live the rest of my life knowing I could’ve done something?” Galotti told MassLive at the time.
Galotti looked to see if firefighters were on site but they had not arrived yet. He then went back into the smoke-filled room to search for Martinez, who was still in his wheelchair about 12 feet from the stairs. Galotti lifted Martinez from the wheelchair, hoisted him over his shoulder and exited the building. The Easthampton Fire Department said Galotti saved Martinez’s life due to the severity of the fire.
Galotti went beyond this act of courage to assist his displaced neighbors after the fire with their material needs, establishing an online fundraiser that generated more than $3,000 to pay for necessities they lost in the fire.
Upon finding out that he was going to be receiving the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award, Galotti was in disbelief. “Just knowing what so many 9/11 families have been through, what Amy Sweeney went through, you know, to be here for that it’s just a huge honor,” Galotti said.
Galotti was nominated by State Senator John Velis, as well as Easthampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris.
2021 Award Recipient
Annette Szivos
Grandmother assisted in saving man from drowning at Dunn State Park
Annette Szivos was at Dunn State Park with her grandchildren on June 7th, 2021, when she heard there was a person in distress in the lake. Szivos jumped into the water and with the help of another bystander, Michael Morrison, kept the man's head above the surface and brought him to shore.
"His arms were just flailing and I could see him going under and then struggling to get himself back up, " Szivos said. She asked a woman to watch her grandchildren, took off her shoes and jumped in the water.
Szivos and Morrison were not dressed for swimming on that day. Szivos, 66, said she brought her grandchildren to play on swings. She stopped to use the restroom when a woman came up and told her someone was in distress in the water. Officials said Andre LePage fell into the water while fishing.
“When I reached him, (LePage) was still talking, saying, ‘Please help me, I don’t want to drown, I don’t want to die,’” Szivos told The Gardner News. “So I got his arm and I was able to keep him afloat and I started yelling for help. I knew I couldn’t swim this man to shore because he’s a big man.”
Morrison, who has worked as a lifeguard, jumped into the water, and the pair managed to get the 6 foot-2 Vietnam War veteran to shore, where he received medical attention from EMTs who were called to the scene. LePage had suffered several brain bleeds, according to officials, and almost certainly would have drowned had not Szivos and Morrison acted as quickly as they did.
Gov. Charlie Baker also recognized Morrison with a special citation for his life-saving action during the Sweeney Award ceremony.
Szivos said she felt both humbled and honored to be recognized for the actions she took on that day. “I feel honored because my family is so proud, it makes me feel good, and it’s an incredible honor,” Szivos said.
2020 Award Recipient
Chris Etre
Breaks window, pulls woman from car submerged in river
On a frigid December night in 2019, Chris Etre, the owner of a demolition and excavation company, was driving in Grafton, MA, when he saw a car slide on black ice and go off the road. The vehicle went down an embankment and into the Quinsigamond River.
The driver was able to get out of the car, but a passenger, Esha Patel, 19, was trapped as the car went underwater. Etre, 48, stopped and went to the river’s edge, where he saw the car in the water. He returned to his truck to get a large wrench, then went back to the river and ran along the bank to where the car had drifted downstream.
Etre swam about 30 feet to the car. All but the rear of the car was submerged. Etre initially broke out the rear, driver’s-side window but was unable to remove Patel. He then climbed onto the roof. Etre used the wrench to break the rear windshield, then pulled the glass from it with his hands. He grasped Patel by the arms and assisted her out of the vehicle onto the trunk.
Patel then swam a short distance to the bank, where others helped her from the water, and Etre followed. Patel was taken to a hospital but wasn’t injured. Etre was cold after the rescue and sustained lacerations to his hand.
"It is an honor to be awarded the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for civilian bravery on September 11, 2020,” Etre said. “I want to thank the entire Sweeney family for their support. Their efforts to honor Amy and her heroic efforts to prevent more lives lost on September 11th are amazing. May she rest in peace for eternity and the family have comfort with the memories they have. I don't believe my actions were as honorable but I am humbled to be chosen for this award."
Etre was nominated for the award by state Sen. Michael O. Moore, State Rep. David Muradian, and Grafton Police Chief Normand A. Crepeau, Jr.
2019 Award Recipient
Ross Dugan
MBTA lineman rescues four people from burning car
Early in the morning of Feb. 6, 2019, Ross Dugan, an MBTA lineman, was returning home from work in Everett when he saw a four-car crash occur on Route 24 near Exit 16A in West Bridgewater. One vehicle was in flames, with four people inside struggling to break windows and escape the vehicle.
“I just ran out,” Dugan, 38, told The Standard-Times. “I guess adrenaline just took over. I didn’t really think to not go over there.”
Dugan said a couple of people trapped in the car were trying to punch and kick the windows. Noticing a window cracked open a couple of windows, he started shaking and pulling the window until it cracked and broke, allowing him to pull three people out of the car.
The last person was the hardest to get out of the car because the fire grew. Dugan said another man sprayed a fire extinguisher, allowing him to rescue the last person who was on fire.
“I couldn’t even see, I couldn’t even breathe,” Dugan said. “It all happened so fast. I’m just happy that everybody ended up living.”
As a result of his heroic actions, Dugan suffered second degree burns on his face and his hand.
“Mr. Dugan’s selfless actions that day saved lives when every second counted,” said Sec. of Public Safety and Security Thomas Turco. “That remarkable bravery even at grave personal risk is the hallmark of the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award, one of the greatest honors the Commonwealth can bestow.”
“Ross Dugan’s quick and selfless actions helped others escape from an incredibly dangerous situation,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our Commonwealth is fortunate to be the home of brave people like Ross, who embodies the spirit of the actions taken by Madeline Amy Sweeney on September 11, 2001.”
"I'm incredibly humbled right now," Dugan said. "This is a great honor, and I thank you very much."
Sen. Mark Montigny of New Bedford nominated Dugan for the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery.
2018 Award Recipients
Ryan Saba and Ray Armstead
Duo saves senior citizens as train bears down on stalled vehicle
On Jan. 4, 2018, during the first big snowstorm of the year, Bridgewater residents Arthur and Peggy Barros, both 72, became stuck on the train tracks at the Broad Street railroad crossing in Bridgewater, MA. Ray Armstead and Ryan Saba of Bridgewater, who were driving behind the couple, stopped to see if they could provide assistance.
First, Saba and Armstead attempted to push the Barros’s car off the tracks but were unable to move it. Because of whiteout conditions from the storm, they could hear but not see how close the oncoming train was. That changed quickly as the crossing gate arms lowered and the lights flashed with the couple still in the car.
Armstead and Saba got Arthur Barros out of the vehicle, before working to get Peggy Barros’ locked door open so they could extricate her from the vehicle as well. They then moved everyone to safety in Saba’s truck, 30 seconds before the train hit the Barros’ car. The car was launched about 20 feet into the air before crashing into gates and a control shed, exposing live wires.
Armstead and Saba remained with Arthur and Peggy Barros until officers arrived. In the aftermath of the rescue, the good Samaritans were dubbed the “snow angels” for their heroic actions, even though their identities were not known. They later came into the Bridgewater Police Department after police asked for help on social media in identifying them.
“I just hope that other people think of the same thing to do in a situation like that,” Saba said, who added that it was an “absolute honor” to receive the award named for Sweeney.
Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher Delmonte nominated Armstead and Saba for the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery.
“Both Armstead and Saba acted on behalf of others without concern for themselves,” Delmonte wrote. “Their actions were honorable, selfless and courageous especially given the precarious circumstances of the vehicle stuck on an active commuter railroad crossing.”
2017 Award Recipient
Jaydon Dancy
5th grader honored posthumously for efforts to save life of kayaker
On August 19, 2016, 10-year-old Jaydon Dancy of Salem was playing on the waterfront area of Palmer Cove Playground in Salem, MA, when he saw a kayaker in distress. The kayaker was approximately 30 feet offshore when he overturned and fell from his vessel into the water.
Jaydon and an older woman who was nearby both called out to the man, but he did not respond. Jaydon then entered the water with the woman and made his way to the man, who by then was unconscious. Jaydon was able to grab hold of the man and together with the woman pulled him the entire distance to the shoreline.
Salem Police, Fire and EMS arrived but despite their medical intervention, the man succumbed to the medical episode which caused him to originally fall from his kayak into the water.
Jaydon was so humble about his bravery, and his family and community were incredibly proud of him. The 5th grader was honored by Salem Police and Fire Departments along with local and state leaders for his heroic actions in front of his classmates at the Carlton Innovation School in a schoolwide assembly in October. In March, his courageous action was recognized by the American Red Cross in the category of Selfless Acts by Youth Heroes.
Tragically, less than a year after trying to save the stricken kayaker, Jaydon was accidentally killed on June 9, 2017, when he crossed an active rail line to retrieve his bicycle and was struck by a commuter train.
“In his short life, Jaydon demonstrated the same character and courage as the heroes of September 11, 2001," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement, "and it is our privilege to give this award to him and honor his memory and life.”
Jaydon’s mother, Michelle Dancy, accepted the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award in a ceremony in the Massachusetts Statehouse.
"He was very modest about his courageous act," Michelle Dancy said. "Jaydon was a compassionate, peace-loving boy."
2016 Award Recipient
George Heath (Posthumous)
Lost life protecting others against knife-wielding man
George Heath, a visual arts teacher at the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical School, was enjoying dinner with his wife, Rosemary, at Bertucci’s restaurant in Taunton’s Silver City Galleria on May 10, 2016.
Suddenly, a deranged man wielding a knife entered the restaurant and began to attack customers and employees. Heath confronted the attacker, placing himself between the man and Sheenah Savoy, a pregnant waitress he was stabbing.
Heath’s selfless act of courage saved Savoy’s life as well as that of her unborn child. But during this act of extraordinary bravery, Heath tragically lost his own life. Police shot and killed the suspect a short time later.
Heath’s wife Rosemary accepted the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery on her husband’s behalf during a ceremony at the State House on Sunday morning. "I just want to thank everyone for this award. I just wish my husband was standing next to me to receive it himself," Rosemary Heath said. "I want everyone to think about helping other people do the right thing."
"Be like Amy and past recipients," she added.
Heath was nominated for the award by State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell of Taunton and Taunton Police Chief Edward Walsh, who had never nominated anyone for the award before.
“They were just sitting there eating supper when someone comes in and starts committing horrific acts and he interceded to protect the woman being stabbed and was killed,” Walsh told The Herald News. “His sacrifice deserves recognition. It was kind of a no brainer.”
“When faced with the horror of an armed attacker, George Heath did not hesitate for an instant to act decisively to defend the safety of those around him,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “George Heath showed the same type of character and resolve that defined the heroes of 9/11 and it is our privilege to honor his sacrifice on this solemn anniversary.”
2015 Award Recipient
Albeiro Gomez
Livery driver assists State Troopers to stop kidnapper
On the afternoon of July 20, 2014, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Joseph Hilton was told to be on the lookout for a white Lincoln Town Car with an armed subject wanted for a home invasion and kidnapping of a woman and her 11-month-old baby. The suspect had hired a livery driver, Albeiro Gomez, to take him and his captives to Springfield.
Trooper Hilton spotted the vehicle traveling westbound on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Ludlow and broadcast the information over police radio. Additional troopers then converged on the Lincoln and the vehicle pulled over.
Trooper Hilton ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle. Gomez, who was not aware of the kidnapping, turned and saw the suspect holding a handgun. Without regard for his own safety, Gomez lunged over the seat and grabbed for the gun.
State Troopers then converged on the suspect at which time the kidnap victim fled the vehicle with her baby in her arms. Trooper Hilton twisted the gun out of the suspect’s hands and pulled him from the vehicle.
For his actions, Gomez received the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery on Friday. In a press release announcing the honor, Gov. Charles D. Baker Jr. said, “Albeiro Gomez acted quickly and without regard for his own safety to save the life of a mother and her baby who were in danger. Fourteen years after one of the darkest days in the nation’s history, it is inspiring to see that Madeline Sweeney’s spirit and legacy live on in the actions of Albeiro and countless other heroes around the Commonwealth and our country.”
Speaking through an interpreter at the ceremony, Gomez expressed modesty in accepting the award.
"I just want to emphasize that all I did was act as a good citizen should have acted in order to assist those who needed help in that moment," Gomez said. "Thanks to my proactive action and the great and rapid action of the police, we were able to prevent what could have been a very violent act."
2014 Award Recipient
Michael DeSousa
Saved apartment residents from destructive fire that displaced 13
While stopped at a Fall River intersection on July 6, 2013, Michael DeSousa saw flames coming from the Sagres restaurant. DeSousa, 39, pounded on the windows to alert the owner of Fall River’s first Portuguese restaurant to the fire.
DeSousa then kicked open a street-level door that led into a hallway. The first apartment door he knocked on was answered by a child. DeSousa alerted her parents and helped the girl make her way to safety.
He returned to the building to alert other tenants. DeSousa then found an elderly resident. “She said to me, ‘Don’t rob me. I don’t have any money,’ in Portuguese.”
DeSousa spoke – first in English and then in her native Portuguese – to calm her before lifting her up and carrying her to safety. It was then, he said, that the woman kissed his cheek and thanked him.
DeSousa continued to notify residents in a neighboring building that they were in danger and should evacuate. The electrical fire destroyed Sagres and displaced 13 tenants in eight apartments, but there were no fatalities.
Asked why he did it, DeSousa told The Herald News, “To be honest, I don’t know. I’m a father. And if that was my home, I’d have appreciated someone saving my family.”
Rep. Carole Fiola of Fall River nominated DeSousa for the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery, which he received at the State House on Thursday.
"To risk one's own health in an effort to help others in the midst of danger is a testament to the human spirit," said Fiola. "Michael DeSousa is a paragon of that spirit. His resolve and determination to rescue individuals from a burning building is a commendable act of bravery, and his actions make him an exemplary resident of Fall River.”
“Several lives were saved because Michael DeSousa put the safety of others ahead of his own,” said Gov. Deval Patrick. “That same selfless disregard for personal danger Madeline Amy Sweeney displayed 13 years ago is what we honor today.”
2013 Award Recipient
Carlos Arredondo
Rushed into action to save life of Boston Marathon bombing victim
On April 15, 2013, Carlos Arredondo was in the bleachers of the Boston Marathon, waiting to hand out American flags in memory of his son Alexander, a U.S. Marine Lance Corporal who lost his life fighting in his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Then the first bomb went off. In an iconic photograph, Carlos – soon to be known as the man in the cowboy hat – was shown pushing Jeff Bauman Jr., whose legs were mangled from the blast, away from the scene in a wheelchair.
After the first explosion, Carlos, who served previously as a volunteer firefighter, jumped over the barriers set up for the race and saw Jeff bleeding heavily in front of him. Another spectator gave Carlos a sweater to apply as a tourniquet.
Then, “the man in the cowboy hat” lifted Jeff into a wheelchair. Carlos moved quickly, holding up what remained of Jeff’s legs while wheeling him toward a medical tent and directly into an ambulance.
Jeff lost both legs from the blast, but the quick actions of Carlos and other bystanders to get him medical attention saved his life.
“What I saw that day was serious. I know the size of (the) explosion hurt a lot of people. That’s why I was rushing into action, to help out,” Carlos said.
Carlos was honored Wednesday at the State House with The Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery. National Guard Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, who helped present the award, said, “When the bomb went off, (Carlos) acted in the way his son would have acted. His actions saved this young man’s life.”
Carlos himself suffered two deeply personal losses over the past decade. Following the death of Alexander in 2004, the Marine’s younger brother, Brian, grew depressed. Brian committed suicide on Dec. 19, 2011, days after the Iraq War ended, at age 24.
“I accept this award on behalf of everyone who had their children die by wars, by violence on the street, by suicide, illness and terrorists," Carlos said.
2012 Award Recipient
Paul Antonino
Saves East Boston residents from seven-alarm fire
On April 1, 2012, Paul Antonino was eating lunch with his daughter at one of his favorite spots in East Boston – Oliveira’s Brazilian BBQ on Chelsea Street. When they came outside after lunch, they smelled smoke.
The Wakefield man saw smoke coming from the top of a building across the street from the restaurant, so he circled the block in his car to assess the situation. When Paul pulled up to the building at 330 Chelsea Street, he saw the smoke was now much thicker.
Paul ran into the building and began knocking on doors. When no one answered at two apartments, Paul kicked in the doors. Two senior citizens in those apartments were unaware of the fire spreading quickly above them. Paul yelled, “Let’s go! Let’s go! We’ve got to get out!”
Several hours later the raging blaze spread to 328 Chelsea St., an adjoining three-family building. The inferno ultimately caused the partial collapse of 330 Chelsea St. and gutted 328 Chelsea St. The fire caused over $2.5 million in damage and left 30 people homeless.
Boston Fire Department officials said they couldn’t believe everyone safely escaped from the seven-alarm blaze. If not for Paul, some of those 23 adults and seven children who lived in the buildings could have been seriously injured or killed.
Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray presented Paul, 53, with the 11th annual Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery during a State House ceremony on Tuesday.
“In the aftermath of 9/11, the country came together as one and we were reminded of how valuable it is to help others and pay it forward,” Murray said. “As we remember Amy's legacy, it is fitting that we as a Commonwealth recognize another extraordinary hero, Paul Antonino, who risked his life and bravely saved and protected others.”
Sen. Katherine M. Clark nominated Paul for the Sweeney Award. “Paul Antonino is the embodiment of a true hero. His selfless act of courage, with regard only for the safety of strangers, was extraordinary,” Clark said.
2011 Award Recipient
Angelica Guerrero (Posthumous)
Died shielding daughter in bathtub as EF-3 tornado destroys house
The West Springfield home of Angelica and Juan Guerrero was demolished by a historic EF-3 tornado on June 1st, 2011. The Guerreros were in the living room on the ground floor of the Union Street triple-decker as the tornado packing 160-mph winds hit.
Angelica, 39, ran to the bedroom where her daughter Ibone, 15, was taking a nap. She took her daughter to a bathtub and covered Ibone with her own body. Juan, disabled in a construction accident years ago, was moving into the bathroom to throw himself on top of his wife when the building came crashing down.
Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray honored Angelica posthumously on Sunday with the ninth annual Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery during a ceremony at the State House. Murray presented the award to Juan, Ibone and her sister Fabiola, and other family members.
It took responders two hours to reach the mother and daughter through the rubble. Angelica died of the injuries she suffered, while Ibone survived with leg injuries thanks to her mother’s courageous actions. Juan sustained two bulging discs and a broken bone in his pelvis and now relies on a cane to get around.
"I feel my wife is a hero. She was my hero, is my hero and is always going to be my hero," Juan told MassLive.
Rep. Michael J. Finn and Sen. James R. Welch, both of West Springfield, nominated Angelica. "The whole (State House) chamber was filled. It was very inspiring," Finn told MassLive of the ceremony. "She was there for her family. It was an incredible act of heroism."
Three people died in the tornado, with 200 injured. At the height of its 37-mile touchdown, it cut a swath 880-yards wide.
Juan encouraged everyone at the ceremony to cherish every moment they have with their loved ones. “It’s a pleasure to be here today not only to remember the day, but to remember every single day behind and in front of us,’’ he said.
2010 Award Recipient
Peter Chenevert, Michael Genest, Jessica Genest, and David Bianco
Foursome aid woman who is trapped after crash in car on fire
On Jan. 26, 2010, a sport-utility vehicle crashed on North Main Street in Uxbridge, trapping a 37-year-old Douglas woman inside with her seat belt still on.
Peter Chenevert, Michael and Jessica Genest, and David Bianco — all of Uxbridge, MA — came to the woman's aid. Chenevert, who lives near the scene of the North Main Street crash, called 911 and went to see how the woman was doing. Passers-by, including the Genests and Bianco, stopped.
According to media reports, Chenevert grabbed a fire extinguisher from his house to put out the fire. Jessica Genest cut the seat belt loose, while Bianco and Michael Genest kept the vehicle, which was on its side against a telephone pole, from rolling over.
Uxbridge Police arrived and after about an hour were able to extricate the woman from the SUV. She was taken by Life Flight helicopter to the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, MA.
For their courageous actions, Peter, Michael, Jessica and David were awarded the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery at the State House during the ninth annual Massachusetts Commemorative Ceremonies on the Anniversary of September 11, 2001.
“I was honored to meet these real heroes in person and thank them for their bravery. To be selected for this distinguished award among all commonwealth residents was humbling for these heroes and their families," State Rep. Jennifer Callahan of Sutton said. “With total disregard for their own personal safety, all of these heroes made a difference in someone’s life. A true tragedy was averted by these quick-thinking individuals.”
2009 Award Recipient
Marie Conley (Posthumous)
Crossing guard loses life shielding student from car barreling through intersection
For eight years, Marie Conley assisted hundreds of children in the streets around Mathers Elementary School in Dorchester. She often stayed after her shift ended to keep kids company while they waited for their parents to arrive.
On October 21, 2008, Marie was working at the intersection of Parish and Winter Streets. She halted traffic to lead a student through the crosswalk and saw a vehicle barreling towards them.
Marie shielded the 10-year-old boy with her own body before she was struck by the vehicle. The single mother of four and grandmother to five sustained massive head and body trauma, leading to her death eight days later.
The Boston Police Department said Marie was the first crossing guard in the city’s history to lose her life while performing her duties.
· Marie Conley was recognized in 2011 by America’s surviving Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, who awarded her a posthumous Citizen Service Before Self Honors, one of the nation’s highest awards for civilians. Her son, Christopher, a Marine serving in Iraq when his mother was hospitalized, accepted the honor at Arlington Cemetery before more than 90 Medal of Honor recipients.
“If she was here, she wouldn’t be accepting these rewards,” Christopher told The Dorchester Reporter at the time. “She did things because they were the right thing to do, that’s how she lived. If she was here, she’d say she was just doing her job.”
· Christopher is a firefighter at a firehouse opened in 2024 near where his mother was hit. A garden memorial honors his mother.
“It was from a place of immense love that she gave her life to protect a student from an oncoming car,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said at the dedication. “Without a second thought Marie put herself in harm’s way to keep a child safe…I get emotional thinking about what it means to be a mom, to have your own kids, and love everyone else’s kids just as much as your own in order to make that sacrifice.”
2008 Award Recipient
Ben Papapietro
Red Sox intern rushes back to calm woman in wrecked trolley
Ben was returning home from his second day as a Red Sox intern on May 28, 2008. He was jolted when his trolley collided with another train at Riverside Station in Newton. Ben escaped unscathed from the smoldering train as sparks flew. Then he heard screams.
“It was a matter of how long you could have listened to these people screaming inside the train,” Ben, 19, said. “I guess my breaking point was just sooner than everyone else’s.”
Ben climbed back into the mangled train and found Min Perry, 37, trapped behind the operator’s cabin. She was in agony – bleeding with her legs pinned.
Per David Abel of The Boston Globe:
Papapietro, barely a year out of high school, managed to stay calm enough to take off his shirt and urged Perry to breathe through it rather than inhale the noxious fumes. “I didn’t want this lady to die right in front of me,” he said. “I’m trying to keep her going, doing everything I can, but at the same time doing nothing, because I can’t do anything. It’s the most helpless feeling in the world.”
Down on his knees, he pleaded with Perry to stay conscious. He grabbed her hand, imploring her to keep squeezing. “Hey, keep your eyes open,” he told her. “Keep looking in my eyes.” It worked. Slowly, she began to relax …
It took emergency responders 20 minutes to free Perry using the Jaws of Life. She was sent to hospital with bad cuts and a broken ankle. “I think we cloud the definition of hero today,” MBTA Police Chief Paul MacMillan said. “But under any definition, (Ben’s) a hero.”
For his courageous actions, Ben received the Madeline "Amy" Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the State House on Thursday.
“If it wasn’t for (Ben’s) actions, she may not be around,” Min’s husband, Joe, said. “It’s hard to put into words your appreciation for his actions. You don’t meet people of his caliber.”
2007 Award Recipient
Peter Muthua
Group home attendant evacuates 4 residents after nearby chemical plant explodes
Shortly before 3 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving last year, Peter Muthua was working for Triangle, a nonprofit whose mission is to empower people with disabilities.
He was the overnight attendant at a group home in Danversport when a blast from a nearby chemical plant rocked the mostly residential neighborhood.
It proved to be the largest explosion in the history of the Commonwealth.
The initial blast sent an orange mushroom cloud in the sky, blowing out windows of buildings, knocking some homes off their foundation and sending frightened locals fleeing into the street, some bleeding, Reuters reported.
Confronted with this extraordinary situation, Peter rose to the occasion and more. Seeing the living room ceiling collapsing around him, Peter quickly ran to his car, which was parked perilously close to a gas station, and moved it in front of the group home.
Peter went back inside the group home and coaxed the four anxious residents out of their rooms, carrying one of them out on his back. Never expecting to be hailed as a hero, he bravely honored his commitment on that early morning to the men left in his charge.
The blast, felt as far as 50 miles away in Southern Maine and New Hampshire, damaged at least 16 homes and three businesses beyond repair in the nearby Danversport neighborhood. The Danvers Fire Department ordered the evacuation of more than 300 residents within a half-mile radius of the facility. Surprisingly, only 10 people were treated for minor cuts and bruises following the blast, which Gov. Mitt Romney called a “Thanksgiving Miracle.”
"This is a lot like a 2,000-lb bomb being dropped on a residential neighborhood," Romney told reporters.
Danvers Fire Chief James Tutko said the blast leveled the plant and devastated the area around it.
"It looks like a war zone," he said.
For his selfless actions in the wake of the explosion, Peter received the 2007 Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the State House.
2006 Award Recipient
Henry Garvey, Jerry Morkeski, Greg Deighan, and Adam Speed
Neighbors rescue worker knocked unconscious by blast in home’s cistern
On August 20, 2005, a home exploded on the Newburyport section of Plum Island, MA. Two subcontractors – father and son – were spraying waterproofing material in a subbasement when a pilot light inside the house ignited vapors from the sealant.
Neighbors responding to the scene included Henry Garvey, Jerry Morkeski, Greg Deighan and Adam Speed.
The son, who was working in an eight-foot-deep concrete cistern located below ground under the utility room, was severely burned and lay unconscious on the floor of the cistern. To complicate matters, dense smoke filled the utility room, and even denser smoke came from the cistern, only accessible through a floor hatch.
Upon hearing that the son was unconscious below, Garvey descended on a stepladder to the floor of the cistern. Holding his breath, Garvey initially couldn’t locate the son. He climbed partially back through the hatch for air before descending again – this time using a piece of cut hose for a makeshift breathing tube – to search for the son.
Inhaling acrid smoke, Garvey was forced to return yet again to the hatch for more air. With the aid of flashlights, the four men were then able to locate the son on the floor, not far from the base of the stepladder.
Garvey descended a third time into the cistern, dragging the son to the ladder. The four men hoisted the son up the ladder to the hatch and pulled him from the cistern.
The son required extensive hospitalization for treatment, including several surgeries, for his burns. His father, tragically, was fatally injured in the explosion. Garvey was treated for smoke inhalation.
"I'm not sorry I did it," Garvey told The Record Citizen. "I can only hope that someone would do the same for me."
For their heroic actions, Henry Garvey, Jerry Morkeski, Greg Deighan and Adam Speed received the Madeline "Amy" Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the State House. Garvey also received the Carnegie Medal for extraordinary heroism.
2005 Award Recipient
George Kouloheras, Robert Michalczyk, Lowell MA; Timothy Paquette, Auburn MA
Three heroes honored for rescues from suicide attempt and plane crash
George Kouloheras, 92, and Robert Michalczyk, 42, both of Lowell, MA., observed a man climbing over a bridge railing, intending to jump into the swiftly moving Concord River below.
Approaching slowly, George from behind and Robert from the front, they managed to grab the man and wrestle him from the bridge's edge. Robert pinned the man by the shoulders on the ground as George tried to calm him.
The man struggled, so George had to sit on him, the Boston Herald reported. "I was talking to him and I was saying, 'Ah take it easy, life is worth it,'" George said.
A police officer told The Lowell Sun he found George telling the man, "You don't want to do that. You don't want to do that."
“Hopefully by preventing him from committing the suicide, he can stop and say, 'Well, maybe life isn't that bad,'" George said, according to UPI. "Maybe he can make 92 like me."
On May 27, 2005, Timothy Paquette, 34, of Auburn, MA, was on his way to umpire a high school softball game when he witnessed a plane crash following takeoff from Fitchburg Municipal Airport. Timothy, an associate court officer, stopped his car and ran to the plane. Spilled fuel was evident when Timothy arrived, with flames reaching five feet.
Timothy reached inside and grasped one man whose legs were pinned. After pulling repeatedly on the man, Timothy freed him and dragged him to a point of safety. He then returned to the plane, the interior of which had begun to burn. Timothy again reaching inside to grasp the other man, who was covered with fuel. He pulled the second man from the plane and also took him to safety just before the plane was consumed by flames. Both men were treated for significant injuries at the hospital.
For their heroic actions, George, Robert and Timothy received the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the Statehouse.
2004 Award Recipient
Charles Boudreau
2003 Award Recipient
Timothy Churchill, 17, Doreen Churchill, 43, Thomas Melucci, 18, Geoffrey Monks, 16
CAP Squadron helps in plane crash rescue; Hull teen saves siblings from fire
Four volunteers of the Pilgrim Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol responded when a small plane, carrying a family of seven from Florida to New Hampshire, crashed in Beartown State Forest in March.
Timothy Churchill, 17, Doreen Churchill, 43, Thomas Melucci, 18, and Geoffrey Monks, 16, participated in the rescue of four survivors whose plane crashed near the New York state line.
Searchers had been combing the area along the Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut borders for signs of the single-engine Piper Cherokee Six until it was spotted with its nose buried in four feet of snow, with debris scattered for 100 feet along a ridge.
A child was waving nearby, and the arm of an adult was moving stiffly back and forth through an opening in the battered fuselage. Doreen Churchill maintained radio contact with authorities while the three teens joined EMTs to hike up Mount Wilcox through snow and below-zero temperatures to the crash site.
Three young boys and their father had survived both the crash and 18 hours in bone-chilling cold in the remote forest. The mother and two older children were declared dead at the crash site. The father later died in the hospital from a heart attack.
The three boys, ages 2, 5 and 10, all survived although they had severe hypothermia, and one child had a broken leg. Thomas Melucci helped warm the 2-year-old by cradling him inside his jacket.
Andrew MacDonald, 13, helped his two younger sisters out of their Hull home when it caught fire the night of Feb. 15. Andrew modestly described himself as "an ordinary kid" who "did the right thing at the right time."
The four squadron members and Andrew Macdonald were honored with the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House. "The true heroes are those that cannot be here with us today," Doreen Churchill told a packed chamber.
2002 Award Recipients
Andrew MacDonald & Tiago Medeiors
Rescues injured woman trapped under burning car with broken leg
On Oct. 14, 2001, Tiago Medeiros, 51, was driving home after working an overnight shift at a foundry in Easton. Passing through Freetown on Route 24, he saw a flash of light in the woods. Stopping his truck, Tiago saw a Toyota Paseo upside down in the woods, rapidly becoming engulfed in flames.
Tiago ran toward the car, yelling for any sign of life. "I heard a voice, 'Please help me,'" Tiago told The Ottaway News Service.
Kelly Fauteux, 21, was pinned under the car. Her leg was broken. Despite the surging heat and flames from the fire, Tiago pulled Kelly from the wreckage.
Then, with the help of a truck driver who had also stopped, the two men carried Leslie to the safety of the side of the road. The fire quickly consumed the car as they reached the highway. State Troopers said Tiago undoubtedly saved Kelly's life.
Leslie’s mother told The Ottaway News service she is tremendously grateful Tiago was driving by right then.
"The man really took a chance with his own life to get her away from the car," Susan Fauteux said. "I saw the car after and I've never seen anything so utterly destroyed. It's hard to imagine."
Tiago, a father of four, was surprised when he learned he was receiving the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery for his actions. His daughter, Debby Sardinha, said the Portuguese immigrant from the Azores who became an American citizen in 1987 is typically humble.
"I was telling everyone my dad's a hero," Sardinha told The Ottaway News Service. "He said, 'I'm not a hero. I just did what was right.'"
"I'm in shock," Tiago said. "I never expected to receive something like that, but I'm really very happy. I don't have words to explain."
He was happy, though, to hear Leslie recovered and is doing well. "I'm lucky," Tiago said. "She's lucky, too."
Tiago received the Madeline “Amy” Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery in a ceremony at the State House.