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American Red Cross

A selection of my work for the American Red Cross.

Story Producer
Vimeo •

Disaster - California Wildfires: Fay’s Story of Hope after the Flames

Fay Austin had lived in Altadena, California, for nearly 50 years, when the devastating Eaton Fire destroyed her home and tore through her community. During her time of profound loss, she’s found not only safe refuge but support and care our shelter.
Learn more about our work at redcross.org

Fay Austin had lived in Altadena, California, for nearly 50 years, when the devastating Eaton Fire destroyed her home and tore through her community. During her time of profound loss, she’s found not only s...
American Red Cross •

August 17, 2023. Lahaina, Hawaii

American Red Cross Hawaii Region volunteer Lauralee Arnold embraces former Lahaina resident Jolene Rudolph. Rudolph and her partner tried to alert as many people as possible in Lahaina as they made their way out of town, escaping the flames. Rudolph is one of the many people transitioning into rooms provided by Maui hotels, where she will receive Red Cross care and assistance. While her living situation is improving, she’s still processing everything she experienced.
American Red Cross •

August 14, 2023. Wailuku, Hawaii

Edwin Heilscher chokes up while telling American Red Cross staff member Doyle Rader how he, his wife, son and his neighbor escaped the deadly wildfire that destroyed Lahaina on the island of Maui. Given the dry conditions on West Maui, Heilscher didn’t think much about the smoke he briefly smelled the morning of the fire. But after the wind picked up later in the day and he started seeing ash and soot blow in through the window of his apartment on Front Street, he knew something was wrong.
Written Work
American Red Cross •

American Red Cross Partners with Dallas Fire-Rescue and Parkland Hospital for Prehospital Blood Transfusion Program

By: Doyle Rader
 
During a press conference on Thursday, February 13, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Parkland Hospital and the American Red Cross formally announced a historic, lifesaving partnership. Dallas Fire-Rescue is conducting a prehospital mobile blood transfusion pilot program using blood collected by the Red Cross.
The program aims to ensure that trauma patients and those who are hemorrhaging have access to the necessary treatment they need before they arrive at a hospital. Having Red Cross blood...
American Red Cross •

Red Cross and American Legion Host Resiliency Workshops for Veterans in Royse City

Veterans and their families face challenges every day, but they don’t have to face them alone. During recent workshops held by the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) and American Legion Post 100 in Royse City, Texas, veterans and others learned how to use effective communication to cope with stress.
“When you're working with another human being, these are some basic things that you need to keep in mind: How to communicate effectively and how to be able to show them that stress...
American Red Cross •

Finding Malu: The People and Program Behind a Red Cross Reunification

Franck Mputu Beya instantly recognized the voice on the other end of the phone, even though he hadn't heard it in years.

It was his sister, Malu Anny Beya, calling him from a refugee camp in Zimbabwe to let him know she was alive and well. The phone call this past January to Franck at his Dallas-area home was the first time the siblings had spoken to one another since they fled political violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2016.

The phone call may never have happened had two me
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Installs Free Smoke Alarms Fort Worth Denton

In January, the American Red Cross North Texas Region and local partners helped make two communities safer from home fires. Volunteers installed smoke alarms in homes during separate Sound the Alarm events in Fort Worth and Denton, Texas, on January 20 and 27, respectively.

Red Cross volunteers, employees and community partners installed 336 smoke alarms, making 121 homes safer from home fires. They installed 137 smoke alarms in 45 Fort Worth homes and 199 alarms in 76 homes in Denton.

“We set
American Red Cross •

North Texas Publisher Empowers Communities with Red Cross Blood Drives

Newspaper publisher and professor Cheryl Smith understands what it means to serve. Smith believes a life of service is part of the price we pay for our time on Earth. She works diligently to keep her communities informed while proactively addressing their needs.

Smith's desire to give back led her to the American Red Cross. Working with the biomedical services team from the Red Cross North Texas Region, Smith decided to become a blood drive host. She recently held a drive at the African America
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Responds to Extreme Disasters in North Texas

In 2023, people in the U.S. turned to the American Red Cross for help after an all-time high of 25 billion-dollar disasters struck the nation. Red Crossers from Texas deployed to relief efforts in Guam following Typhoon Mawar; Arkansas, after tornadoes struck Little Rock, Florida, in the wake of Hurricane Idalia and Maui after the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in 100 years devastated the historic community of Lahaina.

The North Texas Region had its share of disasters, too. Hereford and Amarill
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Reunites U.S. Army Sergeant with Family

One service member and his family had a holiday surprise they'll never forget. Just before halftime of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Samuel Rodrigues surprised his wife, Marisol, and two daughters, Zofia (8) and Laila (5), on the field in a heartfelt moment as they reunited in person for the first time in months in front of a crowd of thousands.

Rodrigues, an electromagnetic warfare specialist, is currently stationed overseas in Wiesbaden,

Red Cross Honors North Texas Pianists Who Helped Save a Life at Cliburn International Event

Heroes are all around us. They are our family members, friends, colleagues and even pianists. No matter their background, they are brave individuals courageous enough to step forward to act quickly and decisively during a crisis.

The American Red Cross North Texas Region honored two North Texas heroes before a concert presented by The Cliburn at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. North Texas Region CEO Linda Braddy presented Kathy Abrahamson and Noah DeGarmo with the Certificate of Ex
American Red Cross •

Red Cross East Texas Chapter Celebrates Sound the Alarm Milestone in Tyler

The American Red Cross East Texas Chapter recently celebrated the installation of 50,000 free smoke alarms in the North Texas Region at the home of Joe and Merline Cash on Moore Avenue in Tyler, Texas, on October 7. The event also served as a kickoff for the annual Sound the Alarm events throughout the chapter. Following remarks from Red Cross and local officials, Red Cross and partner volunteers canvased the neighborhood, encouraging people to sign up for free smoke alarms.

“Sound the Alarm is
American Red Cross •

Texans Prepare for Spring Storms

A “watch” means that hazardous weather is possible. People should have a plan of action in case a storm threatens, and they should listen for later information and possible warnings especially when planning travel or outdoor activities.

A “warning” is issued when a hazardous weather event is occurring, imminent or likely. A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the path of the storm need to take protective action.

“Many times, a shift in the wind can sig
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Blood Donor Ambassador and Sickle Cell Warrior Dr. Alexia Mays is Passionate About Blood

Dr. Alexia Mays wants your blood. The American Red Cross volunteer blood donor ambassador is passionate about blood donations. Not only does she understand the importance one donation can have in someone’s life, but it’s also an extremely personal matter for her.

She was born with sickle cell disease, a blood disease most common among people of African descent. Blood diseases like sickle cell unfortunately run in her family. She lost her mother to a rare blood disease at age four and her father
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Royse City Resident Receives Red Cross Lifesaver Award After Saving Child’s Life

Friends and family gathered on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, to watch Liz Clifton receive one of the highest honors the American Red Cross can bestow on an individual. In a ceremony in front of the City Council of Royse City, Texas, she accepted the American Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action for her quick response to help save a child’s life.

“I’m blown away — overwhelmed,” Clifton said after the presentation. “It's kind of unnerving a little bit because I didn't want this level
American Red Cross •

American Red Cross Phlebotomists Help Ensure a Healthy Blood Supply

American Red Cross phlebotomists are the smiling faces on the front lines of our blood collection efforts. If you’ve donated blood recently or are a regular donor in the North Texas Region, you’ve likely met a few of our blood whisperers as they guide you through the donation process from start to finish.

Phlebotomists are blood specialists. They collect blood and blood platelets while helping to ensure a positive donor experience at every blood drive. Tonya and Jennifer, two of our phlebotomis
American Red Cross •

Red Cross SAF Volunteer Willie Cowart is Retiring After a Life of Service

After 14 years of service with the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces in North Texas, volunteer Willie Cowart is retiring. The 20-year Air Force veteran from Panama City, Florida, who now calls Garland, Texas home, amassed an impactful legacy of service that touched the lives of many.

“I do quite a few things, but I don't like to brag about what I do,” Cowart says. “I do quite a few things and work out. That's about it. I’m turning 80 this year, so that's one of the reasons I'm reti
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American Red Cross North Texas Region Responded to Numerous Crises in 2022

2022 was a year that found many Americans in crisis thanks to an unforeseen disaster. The American Red Cross responded to 15 billion-dollar disasters that upended lives across the country, including hurricanes Fiona and Ian, flooding in Kentucky and Missouri, tornadoes in the South and wildfires in the West, among others. That is more than twice the number of billion-dollar disasters that struck annually two decades ago.

Closer to home, hundreds of dedicated Red Cross employees and volunteers r
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Reunites Friends and Families in Florida after Hurricane Ian

By: Doyle Rader



Losing touch with a loved one can be a terrifying situation for anyone following a disaster. Downed power and phone lines and disrupted cell service can disconnect people for hours, days or longer, breeding worry and fear.

When the American Red Cross deploys to disasters, one of its primary missions is to reunite families that may have become separated. It’s this work that Michael Chancia, a program specialist with Service to the Armed Forces in North Texas, found himself d
American Red Cross •

Chris Alban presented with the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit

Emergencies can happen at any time and anywhere. Regardless of when and where they occur, emergency situations usually have one thing in common: a crowd of people standing around, staring at a victim—wondering who should act and trying to remember what to do.

Chris Alban knew what to do. While vacationing with wife in Mexico this past April, the City of Plano Parks and Recreation supervisor noticed a woman floating face down and unresponsive in a pool. Alban reacted quickly, relying on the trai
American Red Cross •

North Texans Continue to Help in Red Cross Relief Efforts After Hurricane Ian

The American Red Cross North Texas Region remains committed to Hurricane Ian relief efforts in Florida. To date, more than 40 trained Red Cross disaster responders from the region have deployed to hard hit areas, staffing shelters, delivering essential supplies and providing comfort and care for those that are struggling.

After landing in Orlando, volunteer Olga Marshall deployed to a Red Cross shelter at the Turner Agri Civic Center in Arcadia, Florida before Ian made landfall. This wasn’t the
American Red Cross •

Fort Worth Blood Drive Honors Beloved Father and Friend to Many

Paige Kormeluk didn’t know how she wanted to memorialize her father, Peter Quaider, after he passed. One night, as she was telling stories about her dad with a close friend, the two landed on an idea.

Her friend, who works for the American Red Cross, proposed Kormeluk host a blood drive. It was the only suggestion that made sense to her. On a recent Friday, friends and family gathered at the Red Cross office in Fort Worth, Texas to honor the memory of her dad.

“I think when you lose a loved on
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Provides Flood Relief Assistance to Residents in Dallas

The historic rains and flooding that North Texas saw in late August affected thousands. As the floodwaters receded, the American Red Cross worked diligently to provide help to people in need as they started the recovery process.

For two days, the Red Cross took part in a multi-agency resource center with other nonprofit groups at the Samuell-Grand Recreation Center in Dallas. Here, organizations connected with flood-impacted residents. The Red Cross was able to provide assistance to almost 240
American Red Cross •

Red Cross Volunteers Traverse North Texas Helping Residents After Historic Rain and Flooding

As record rainfall continued its deluge across North Texas Monday, American Red Cross staff and volunteers fanned out across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, responding to those in need. Volunteer Carrolle Cox was on the first on the ground assessing the damage as it happened.

She arrived on the scene in Azle, Texas, where an apartment building had collapsed due to rising floodwaters. She then headed to Samson Park, near Fort Worth, where a home suffered extensive roof damage.

They were the fi
American Red Cross •

American Red Cross North Texas Region Hosts 7th Annual Executive Breakfast

The American Red Cross North Texas Region welcomed distinguished guests to the flagship Neiman Marcus location in Downtown Dallas for the seventh annual Executive Breakfast in July. The event celebrated the generosity and compassion of organizations and their leaders who help make the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross possible.

“You are the reason the Red Cross can bring hope and comfort to so many when they need it most,” said Ariane Einecker, interim CEO of the North Texas Region. “It is
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North Texas Volunteers Deploy in Response to Kentucky Floods

Clara Vallejo, a Fort Worth, Texas volunteer answered the call to travel to Kentucky to render aid to those impacted by extreme flooding. She is working at a county-operated shelter at the Floyd County Community Center in Langley, Kentucky, supporting the basic needs of the community.

The Kentucky floods were triggered by a 1-in-1,000-year rain event that has devastated much of Eastern Kentucky, upturning lives, and destroying hundreds of homes. In response, the American Red Cross has mobilized
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Red Cross Responds to Partial Building Collapse in East Dallas

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 24, volunteers from American Red Cross North Texas Region sprag into action responding to a partial building collapse in Dallas, Texas. The roof of the Marquita Court apartments, a well-known residence in the M Streets and Lower Greenville neighborhoods, caved in on several upstairs units.

“When our firefighters arrived, they actually observed that this is a partial building collapse in one of the buildings,” said Jason L. Evans, public information officer, Dall
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