ELKO — Greg Barker didn’t think much of it when a van passed him on the highway on a drive from Eureka to Elko on Highway 278.
But about an hour down the road when he caught up with the van and saw it pull to the side of the road, he thought something might have been wrong.
What he did next earned him recognition as a Real Hero by the American Red Cross.
Saturday night, the Animal House Sanctuary, Matt Griego, James Mathes, Lisa Dinwiddie, Eloisa Mendoza, Matt Hugill and Darren Hester were honored for heroic actions.
Knowing cell phone service in the area was spotty and the occupants of the vehicle were older, Barker, winner of the Adult Community Hero category, decided to pull over and help. It turns out the family was rushing to the hospital and had vehicle trouble.
A member of the Elko Amateur Radio Club, he used his radio to summon help. Club President Kent LeBart answered his call and called emergency services for one of the vehicle’s occupants, who was having a series of mini strokes.
“Amateur radio service is the hero,” Barker said after accepting his honor.
Like many others who were honored, Barker said he didn’t feel like his actions rose to heroism.
Hugill and Hester were honored for their actions to help a friend.
While they were walking home from school in November 2007, the saw a man in a vehicle pull over to talk to one of their friends.
They heard her scream and they ran to help her, reported the incident to law enforcement and driver was apprehended and charged with attempted kidnapping.
They were scared, Hester said. But, Hugill added, it was “one of our good friends. We’re not just going to let this guy get away with it.”
They weren’t the only ones who were afraid.
Mathes, an Elko County sheriff’s deputy, on accepting the Law Enforcement Hero award joked he wasn’t afraid when he used his vehicle to push another vehicle suspected of carrying 100 pounds of explosives on Interstate 80.
He was afraid, he said, when he told his wife and mother about it.
Griego, a captain with the Elko Fire Department, accepted the Firefighter Hero honor for his actions to remove a girl from a house on fire in September 2008.
The girl’s family wrote in their nomination letter not a day goes by that they’re not thankful.
Griego shared the praise with others who provide emergency services, including dispatch, police and emergency medical technicians.
“It’s a whole system hat does it, not one individual,” he said.
Dinwiddie, winner of the Medical Hero award, was honored for help caring for those who suffer from dementia.
Mendoza won the Unsung Hero category for her service to the Hispanic community as a translator, for teaching English as a second language classes and Sunday school.
She said she’s a lifelong Elko resident and is “proud to give services back to the community.”
Animal House Sanctuary was honored in the Animal Hero category.
They organization hopes to create a permanent sanctuary for animals.
Other nominees for Adult Community Hero award are Alfreida Jake for her work with the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone and volunteer work and Terry Hritz for his work through the Lions Club to help a mother of five with cancer obtain a van.
The other Medical Hero nominee was Dr. Stephen Price for providing dental services to several patients with no income or instance.
Unsung Hero nominees were Lois Castro for her work at Highland Manner; Margaret Petrick, coordinator for Nevada Donated Dental Services; and National Foundation for Dentistry for the Handicapped.
The other nominee for the Youth Hero award is Alyssa Stevens, who is involved in the community by speaking about issues related to drug abuse and prevention.
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