Honorees

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Year Honored
2008
Honoree
Marlena L Yomes
Agency
Hawaii Air Ambulance
Agency City
Honolulu
Agency State
HI
Last Call
3/8/06
Cause of Death
Medical Aviation Accident
Biography
Tracy Santana was moved by the actions of Marlena Yomes to the point she wrote a story about the woman. She told of how she watched in awe as the paramedic helped an aged man aboard an airplane flight. "She was skillful in her medical knowledge, but more importantly she comforted the man as if he were her grandpa, relaxing him to ease his pain. She was like an angel at work, and it made a lasting impression on me. I was overwhelmed with emotion as I watched the paramedic attend the older man so tenderly until the medical staff at the airport took over". When Ms. Santana heard about the Cessna crash, she felt honored to have been in Marlena's company for a short time.<br /> <br /> Marlena was the first to arrive at an accident scene, and she calmed the victim and stood there with him until an ambulance arrived. She was also working in an emergency room as a receptionist and sometimes, in a pinch, helped the nurses and doctors. The medical team there encouraged her to become a paramedic.<br /> <br /> Marlena was a person who made everyone laugh at her stories. After seeing and helping at an accident, Marlena wanted to become a part of helping others. "It was a life-changing decision and she never looked back," stated her father. She set her sights on becoming a paramedic, and she loved every minute of it.<br /> <br /> Marlena Lee Yomes, 39, of Waianae, Hawaii, was killed in the line of duty on March 8, 2006 when the air ambulance she was aboard crashed into a BMW Dealership near Kahului Airport. The plane was headed from Oahu to Kahului for a patient transport.<br /> <br /> Mrs. Yomes worked for Hawaii Air Ambulance out of Honolulu, Hawaii. She held the title of base supervisor for the agency.<br /> <br /> She was always serious, calm, and focused, when it came to her patients. She was calm but very professional. "She was hooked and loved every minute of her work," stated her father.<br /> <br /> Honored 2008