Red Cross Awards Four Individuals For Saving A Man’s Life In Church

GILLETT, WI- On Sunday, July 23, 2023, Jennifer Fenendael, Keri Hicks, Kurt Hicks, and Claudette Tipton will receive the American Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action for the heroic actions they exhibited in saving the life of Wayne Strei. The Red Cross of Northeast Wisconsin will be at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Gillett for the presentation that will occur around 10:15 a.m. after the conclusion of the 9:30 a.m. service. On Tuesday evening, April 19, 2022, while performing at a spring cantata, Wayne Strei, the musician at St. John’s Lutheran Church, had a medical emergency which caused him to become unresponsive.
Jennifer Fenendael was the first on scene to provide help to Strei. Gillett Fire Chief Kurt Hicks and Emergency Medical Responder Claudette Tipton were also in the church at the time and began cardiopulmonary compressions (CPR) on Strei. Meanwhile Keri Hicks, Kurt’s wife, called 911 while Kurt Hicks and Tipton used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to deliver an electrical shock to Strei with the hopes of restoring a heart rhythm. EMT then arrived on the scene and resumed care for the victim.
“Having an AED in the right place at the right time, made a significant difference in Strei’s life,” said Fire Chief Hicks. Having an AED onsite can reduce response time and improve the chances of survival for someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. “Surely this was a contributing lifesaving measure,” said Hicks. “The Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action is given to individuals, like Jennifer, Keri, Kurt and Claudette who step up in an emergency situation and help save or sustain a life,” said
Beckie Pinnow, Interim Executive Director, Northeast Wisconsin Chapter of the Red Cross. “These individuals exemplify the mission of the Red Cross to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies and are to be commended for their willingness to helpanother in distress.”
Tracy Ondik nominated the group for the award. An emergency can happen when you least expect it and being prepared and knowing how to respond can truly make the difference. in saving a life of another. “You can’t handpick those who come into your life, but I can honestly say I couldn’t have picked a better foursome to be my lifesavers,” said Strei. “I think it’s so important for everyone to know CPR as you never know when you will need to help another person. If it were not for them, I
would not be here. I hope that by sharing my story others will be inspired to get trained.”