If you have been caught up with AnchorNews for a while, you will remember the story of Ashley De La Cruz-Martin, the CHS student who saved an adult’s life during CPR. Well, there is an update to De La Cruz’s story – she isn’t just getting talked about anymore, she’s getting awarded for her heroic actions.
At the beginning of the school year, the CPS Board of Education awarded De La Cruz’s life-saving actions with recognition during their board meeting. This is a huge honor within our district, because not many students get individual awards. After this award, the roar of De La Cruz’s actions decreased for a while. Then, the City of Columbus presented her with the Citizen Volunteer Service Recognition Award on Nov 7.
In interviews across media platforms, Chuck Putnam, the man De La Cruz-Martin saved, expressed how much he advocated for her recognition. He explained that without his “guardian angel,” he would have passed on that fateful July day. Putnam is the reason for De La Cruz-Martin’s biggest honor yet – the Husker Heroes award.
This award is awarded to one Nebraska teen and one Iowa teen each year, and it serves as a huge recognition of those who have gone above and beyond to save lives and make a difference. Putnam nominated De La Cruz-Martin for this award with his beautiful story, and after much deliberation, she was selected as Nebraska’s teen!
On Friday, Nov. 28, De La Cruz-Martin walked the field with the man she saved that fateful day to get the national honor she deserved. I had the pleasure of speaking with De La Cruz-Martin, and she commented, “I was in awe most of the time! I could not believe what was going on around me! I was so thankful and excited being on the field, it was a once in a lifetime experience, I genuinely cannot be more grateful! It was very nice to have Chuck by my side, he has truly been the most supportive!”
After we talked about the game and her experience there, we rewound the clock to her first time meeting Putnam after saving his life. For context, Putnam expressed interest in meeting up with De La Cruz-Martin to show his gratitude, so they ended up meeting at Applebees. She stated, “The first time I met him, I was so thankful that he was alive and still able to be someone important for others. When I met him at Applebee’s, I genuinely felt grateful.”
De La Cruz-Martin shared that this experience has transformed her life for the better, and it is all thanks to Chuck Putnam. She made a lifelong friend and colleague, expressing, “Thanks to Chuck’s efforts, I have been recognized and appreciated by everyone! There were so many great outcomes like becoming friends with him, and getting recognized by the school administration, City of Columbus, and at the Nebraska Game!! We still keep in touch and text every day so it is amazing to still talk to him!”
Before we ended our conversation, I asked De La Cruz-Martin if there was anything else she would like to share. She stated she was looking forward to this question, and just wanted to say “It’s been a blessing to meet so many people and have these amazing opportunities come to be! I am thankful to God, I believe that he put me there at the right time that day when I first met Chuck! Thank you so much for your support and these questions!!”
This beautiful story is a true example of Discoverer pride – doing the right thing when no one is watching, and doing it with confidence. Ashley De La Cruz-Martin’s story is a testament to her character, as well as the character of Columbus Public Schools. So next time someone is in danger and you have the ability to step up and help, step up with the confidence of Ashley, because you could save a life and make a lifelong friend.
For more articles like this, make sure to check out chsanchornews.org daily and follow our Instagram @chsanchornews for daily updates. If you have an idea for a future article, contact me at [email protected] or email [email protected]