PHOENIX — Six employees with the Arizona Department of Transportation were awarded medals of valor for saving a woman from a canal in early August, according to ADOT.
Gila Bend maintenance technicians Antonio Trejo Martinez, Salvador Mata Jr., Larry Ortega, David Robledo, John Gardner and Ray Ruiz were all honored on Wednesday after they formed a human chain to rescue the woman from a canal full of rapidly-moving water.
A medal of valor is ADOT’s highest honor for its workers, and Jennifer Toth, its director, presented the distinctive medallions and framed certificates.
“Once the woman was safely out of the water, (Gardner) literally gave her the shirt off his own back so she’d have something dry to wear,” Toth said in the release. “If that doesn’t symbolize their selflessness, generosity and willingness to help others, I don’t know what does.”
How did ADOT workers find and rescue the woman from the canal?
Ruiz, one of the six men honored, told KTAR News 92.3 FM that he and his five other compatriots responded to a sound near an ADOT maintenance yard at 1300 E. Pima Street on Aug. 6.
When they reached a canal which sits adjacent to the yard, Ruiz said the six of them formed a human chain with the help of a shovel to extend their reach toward the woman.
After Ruiz called 911 for extra assistance, the men were able to use a belt as a lifeline for the woman to grab onto, and it got her high enough so they could pull her out of the canal completely.
The 58-year-old woman had reportedly fallen into the canal around noon the day before and had spent the night clinging to a floating tire. The ADOT workers saved her around 6 a.m., and the whole rescue operation took about 10 minutes.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy and Gila Bend Fire Department arrived on the scene to help the woman recuperate.
“This team’s integrity, whether it is on or off the clock, is an exquisite example that good people in the world still exist,” Cameron Mendoza, Gila Bend Highway Operations technician supervisor, said.
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
