Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 2, 1995 TAG: 9504030094
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Krenz placed the paper over a brass leaf with the name Lisa Kern Hannon and rubbed the pencil until the engraved name became clear.
Hannon, one of eight state-certified incident commanders for Appalachian Search and Rescue, died last May in a car accident after searching 12 hours straight for a missing West Virginia boy.
This year, Hannon and 30 other EMS providers were added to ``The Tree of Life,'' a memorial in the Roanoke Valley History Museum's ``To the Rescue'' exhibit that honors those who have died trying to help others.
Krenz, along with 16 other search-and-rescue volunteers from the Charlottesville branch, traveled to Roanoke to participate in this year's national EMS Memorial Service, visit the museum, and remember their friend.
``Lisa would have been awestruck by this,'' Krenz said, looking at the names. ``The number of people inducted reflects the vast amount of people out there who want to help.''
More than 500 people attended the memorial service Saturday evening at Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, many forced by crowding to the basement to watch on closed-circuit television.
In a solemn ceremony, the name of each of the 31 EMS workers representing 13 states was read aloud. A family member received a flag which had flown over the U.S. Capitol, a white rose tied with a blue ribbon, and a medallion.
Dan Manz, director of Vermont's EMS Division, spoke to the families and squad members attending about the extended family of those who serve others.
``They have a gift - that they desire to help. ... They are an inspiration for generations of the EMS family yet to come.''
Don Eaton traveled from Winston-Salem, N.C., to remember his daughter, Donna Eaton. The 33-year-old flight nurse was one of four Baptist Hospital AirCrew members killed last year when their helicopter crashed into a West Virginia mountain.
For her father, this day was a difficult but important time.
``It's good to know she touched so many people,'' he said, ``but this has brought back some pretty tough memories.''
by CNB