Honorees

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Year Honored
1996
Honoree
Betty J Holt
Agency
Duffy's Ambulance Service
Agency City
Pontiac
Agency State
IL
Last Call
7/21/95
Cause of Death
Ambulance Involved MVC
Biography
Betty, an EMT-I, was a very special person who dedicated her life to helping others. She actively worked to raise $13,000 to purchase a defibrillator for the Odell Volunteer Fire Department where she worked for five years.<br /> <br /> Additionally, she helped teach CPR classes to the Odell Grade School staff and eighth-grade students. The tragic series of events that took Betty's life began with a medical emergency call to Duffy Ambulance Service.<br /> <br /> Duffy Ambulance responded, but asked for assistance from Odell Volunteer Fire Department. Betty took the department's rescue truck with the defibrillator when she learned the patient was not breathing. At the same time, the patient's son learned of his mother's condition and started to drive to his parents' house. En route the rescue truck and the son's vehicle collided. Betty and the patient's son died at the scene.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Duffy Ambulance arrived at the patient's home and began transport to the hospital, passing the accident scene on the way. The patient also died later that day, July 21, 1995.<br /> <br /> When Betty, age 34, was not answering calls for emergency medical care, studying, or working part-time, she was involved in camping and fishing with her four children, Shane Hanson, Nick Irvin, Lindsey and Jakob Holt, and her husband, Jay.<br /> <br /> Also surviving are Betty's parents Shirley Reiman and Milton Hanson. The following poem was written by Margo Law, Betty's co-worker:<br /> <br /> <br /> Who can forget that big-eyed face?<br /> Her wispy voice and glowing smile<br /> made us feel good for awhile.<br /> A fairy princess she seemed to me,<br /> she flies to heaven and here are we.<br /> Honored 1996