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Red Cross honors man for lifesaving act

By JAY CRIDLIN
Published January 19, 2005

RUSKIN - Ramon Martinez thought he was stopping by the Buddy Freddy's restaurant Tuesday for a quick company meeting.

Instead, he got a plaque of recognition signed by President Bush.

Much to his surprise, Martinez was being honored by the American Red Cross for saving the life of a fellow restaurant patron during a meal May 23 in Brandon.

"I was there, and she needed the help," said Martinez, 44. "I did what I needed to do."

Only about 2,500 people a year receive the Red Cross' Certificate of Merit, awarded to people who save a life using Red Cross skill.

Martinez is only the second person in the Tampa Bay area to receive the award in the past five years, according to Red Cross spokesman Tim Teahan.

"This is very rare," said Rick Walker, CEO of the Red Cross' Tampa Bay chapter. "Ramon is in a very elite group of people to get this award."

Martinez, who lives in Wimauma, was dining with his wife, Patty, at the Buddy Freddy's in Brandon when a woman near his table stood up and indicated she was choking. No one else offered to help.

Martinez, a supervisor with Wimauma landscaper ValleyCrest Companies, had gone through Red Cross training for his job. Twice before he'd saved the lives of epileptic workers by knowing how to perform first aid. Another time, long ago, he'd performed the Heimlich maneuver on another person who was choking.

So as another patron called 911, Martinez ran to the woman and managed to dislodge the food with about eight pumps under the chest. Afterward, both she and Martinez went back to their meals. He never even got her name.

On Tuesday, Red Cross and ValleyCrest employees surprised Martinez with the Certificate of Merit, signed by the president, who traditionally serves as the Red Cross' honorary chairman.

"After it happened," said Patty Martinez, "he said, "I just hope if I'm in that situation, somebody will do the same for me.' "

Said Ramon, who plans to take another Red Cross training class in February: "My reward is to see somebody alive."

Jay Cridlin can be reached at 813 661-2442 or cridlin@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 19, 2005, 00:32:23]