Students, Donors and Late Firefighter/Instructor, Philadelphia Fire Captain Matthew LeTourneau Honored at Foundation Dinner
(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA 鈥� October 17, 2018)鈥敶蠓⒘喜� 250 people, including Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel and many first responders, celebrated educational opportunity and community service at 大发六合彩鈥檚 Educational Foundation Dinner last night at the Drexelbrook Catering & Special Event Center in Drexel Hill.
This year, the annual event included a posthumous recognition of Philadelphia Fire Department Captain Matthew LeTourneau, a 1995 graduate of the College, who was a beloved and well-respected emergency medical technician/cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructor. LeTourneau died on January 6 bravely fighting a house fire in North Philadelphia. Last night, the College bestowed its highest alumni honor, the Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award, upon the LeTourneau family in recognition of Captain LeTourneau鈥檚 selfless service.
鈥淚 want to make sure his family knows how loved and respected he was among his peers, both at the College and in the Philadelphia Fire Department,鈥� said John Moss, whose family created the Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award in honor of their late mother, Barbara Wong Moss, former chair of the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees.
Luke LeTourneau, Captain LeTourneau鈥檚 brother, accepted the award on behalf of their family. 鈥淢y brother, Matt, had a passion for firefighting that was unrivaled. He was always on a journey to learn and teach, to take opportunities to gain knowledge, or even just talk shop with whomever would listen. He always wanted to share and it didn鈥檛 matter who you were,鈥� he said.
College President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black said Captain LeTourneau personified all that the College believes in鈥攅ducational achievement, community service and professional accomplishment. 鈥淗is death, earlier this year in the line of duty, was a devastating loss to our community, and we are honored to have Matt鈥檚 family here with us this evening as we pay tribute to his life with our highest alumni honor鈥攖he Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award,鈥� Dr. Gates Black said.
Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel spoke of the selfless courage displayed by Matt on January 6, the courage of the LeTourneau family, who have developed a close relationship with the Philadelphia Fire Department, and the courage of student Bethany DeLoach, a recovering addict and one of the first recipients of a new scholarship in memory of Captain LeTourneau.
Commissioner Thiel said he first met Captain LeTourneau at the Delaware County Emergency Services Training Center in Sharon Hill. They were researching methods to safely combat fires; methods that later would become a model for firefighting. 鈥淭hose learnings have now become a national training program that is making the rounds from coast to coast,鈥� Commissioner Thiel said. 鈥淢att helped inform that truly life-saving research and that life-saving work.鈥�
To continue the legacy of Captain LeTourneau, the LeTourneau family has created a foundation and a scholarship at the College in memory of the fallen firefighter. 鈥淭o carry on Matt鈥檚 legacy, we as a family have created the Captain Matt LeTourneau Memorial Foundation, with a purpose to secure the advancement of firefighters and those who wish to become instructors,鈥� Luke LeTourneau said. 鈥淎dvancing knowledge saves lives!鈥澛�
Bethany DeLoach, a paramedic student at the College and one of the first recipients of the LeTourneau scholarship, spoke of how the scholarship would help her and her family. A single mother of two young girls, who works full time as an emergency medical technician with the Philadelphia Fire Department, DeLoach spoke about her journey as a recovering addict to a point in her life where she is now focused on making a life-long career out of helping others.
鈥淲orking so closely with paramedics helped a lost dream to reawaken inside of me. I am on a path to expand my knowledge in the pre-hospital medical field,鈥� DeLoach said. 鈥淎ll my life, I was in the field of helping other people鈥攚aitress, CNA, home health aide, EMT鈥攚hy not take the next step in education? Last year, a co-worker told me that Delaware County was starting a paramedic class. I applied and completed the necessary paperwork and clearances.鈥� DeLoach is now on track to graduate from the College鈥檚 paramedic program next year.
Commissioner Thiel praised Bethany鈥檚 courage. 鈥淐an you imagine the type of courage that it takes to stand up here and to be that kind of honest,鈥� Thiel said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no question that she has a bright future 鈥� I am privileged to be here with her.鈥�
大发六合彩 the 大发六合彩 Educational Foundation
Each year, the Educational Foundation manages more than 150 scholarship programs and awards more than $300,000 to students. The annual Foundation Dinner provides an opportunity for the Educational Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors, College staff and student scholars to personally thank the Foundation鈥檚 donors and sponsors for their generosity.
Photo Caption: John Moss presents the Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award posthumously to the family of Philadelphia Fire Captain Matthew LeTourneau, a College instructor and 1995 graduate. Pictured left to right are Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel, President Dr. L. Joy Gates Black, Luke LeTourneau (brother), Michelle LeTourneau (sister), Janice LeTourneau (mother) and John Moss. 聽 聽 聽 聽
