They do not consider themselves heroes.
“No, I don’t consider myself a hero,” Paramedic David Arredondo said.
Arredondo said he was just doing his job.
“We’re just taking care of everyday duties that are assigned to us as medics.”
But others disagree. Many have said, over the last week, that those First Responders are the reason Nicholas Tijerina and Edson Amaro will celebrate another Christmas and New Year with their families.
“This is what we became paramedics for….to save lives,” Paramedic Ricardo Lozano said. “Luckily we were able to save two kids from dying.”
Arredondo told Action 4 News that he was the first paramedic to arrive at Harwell Middle School on that fateful Monday afternoon two teens were shot.
The call was vague, he recalled, they did not know much going in and did not know what to expect.
“I was prepared for the worst and hoping for the best…but always prepared for the worst,” Arredondo explained.
Arredondo—who drove Nicholas to McAllen Medical, said he knew the teen’s life was in his hands. But was confident in his years of experience to get him through those crucial moments.
Lee Garcia, Chief Operations Officer for Valley EMS, said his team is modest about their heroic efforts—but they did a tremendous thing---to him they are heroes.
“They do deserve a lot of recognition….they are heroes,” Garcia said.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT