Life-saving actions honored in Rotary Club of Wicomico County’s Hero Awards
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – Last summer, a golf outing turned into a medical emergency at a local country club. Thanks to the swift actions of two local men, a life was saved. Tuesday, the Rotary Club of Wicomico County honored them for their efforts.
Swift Actions Amid Scary Scene
The Green Hill Country Club in Quantico is tight-knit. To put it simply, everybody knows everybody. “I call it a family because we all know each other and we all gather for good times,” said club member Rob McDonald.
So, when Larry Dernulc suffered a heart attack on June 6, 2024, just outside the clubhouse, McDonald and Dr. Eric Munoz immediately jumped into action. “I got word that one of our members had passed out and when I looked at him I saw that he was not with us. I went and got the defibrillator,” McDonald said.
McDonald called for Dr. Munoz, who was inside the clubhouse having dinner. “I ran out of the clubhouse and (Larry) was right outside of the Pro Shop, and he was in (a golf) cart. He was not moving, he was unresponsive, and he had no pulse,” Dr. Munoz said.
Dr. Munoz directed bystanders to move Dernulc to the ground and performed CPR on him for four minutes.
“(We) shocked him after two minutes, and at that point we started getting some agonal breathing back. EMS showed up within about four minutes. I continued to do CPR. We also, once we were able to get a mask, started breathing for (Larry) as well,” Dr. Munoz said.
Dernulc was rushed to TidalHealth in Salisbury, where Dr. Greg Treuth installed stents in his coronary artery, which was completely blocked. “Fortunately, we got to him in time and he was able to preserve his brain function and everything else,” Dr. Munoz said, adding that Dernulc has made a miraculous recovery.
Humble Heroes Honored
When the scary scene unfolded, Dr. Munoz had only recently begun work at TidalHealth as a heart surgeon. Months later, he would perform the open heart surgery Dernulc needed to ensure enduring health.
“His family got their loved one back, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s trying to preserve people’s lives and make them better if we can … We got to save a man who’s very appreciated in this community,” Dr. Munoz said.
On Tuesday, McDonald and Dr. Munoz received the Rotary Club’s Hero Award. The honor came with a plaque, a $1,000 donation to a 501(c)3 non-profit organization of their choice, and a citation from the Maryland General Assembly signed by State Senators Mary Beth Carozza and Johnny Mautz.
“I’m just glad Larry’s back with us.”
Dernulc was also on hand to personally thank his heroes and got emotional as he spoke to the room.
“I’d like to thank everybody for what they did for me. But, I’ll tell you this: there is a god. He saved my life that day,” Dernulc said with tears.
But if you ask McDonald and Dr. Munoz, they don’t need the recognition.
“I can’t say enough about the people on my team who help me take care of cardiac surgery patients. I think we have an excellent program, and we work closely with the cardiologists, guys like Dr. Treuth,” Dr. Munoz said.
For McDonald, he said they were just at the right place, at the right time, and with the right people.
“There are people who deserve it more than me, such as the skilled doctors who took care of (Larry). I just listened to the (AED) machine and it told me everything I had to do … I’m just glad Larry’s back with us,” McDonald said.
SPD Detective Recognized
A member of the Salisbury Police Department was also honored with a Rotary Club Hero Award on Tuesday.
On Oct. 17, 2024, Detective Adeline Cyrus located and saved the life of a missing juvenile. The child suffered from “mental impairments” according to the police department, and there was an immediate concern for their wellbeing.
Det. Cyrus would find the child clinging to a pier in the Wicomico River near First Street. She immediately jumped into action, pulling the child from the cold water and saving their life.
“(She) and the other officers that responded did go the extra mile because they checked and left no stone unturned … This child was located in the water on the river’s edge where they could easily have been missed,” said Salisbury Police Chief David Meienschein.
Going Above and Beyond
Chief Meienschein said Det. Cyrus is a ten-year veteran of the department, and like others in the agency, consistently goes above and beyond in her duties. He added that made all the difference in saving the child’s life in October.
“That comes along with her training, her experience, and her willingness and desire to do the very best job on every call that she goes on … This could have very easily ended in a poor outcome. So, time is of the essence in these situations, and Addie and the other officers, I think, understood that need and that urgency,” Chief Meienschein said.
The chief and members of the department’s Criminal Investigations Division accepted the award on Det. Cyrus’ behalf Tuesday, as well as a citation from the Maryland General Assembly. Det. Cyrus was out sick, but Rotary Club officials plan to hold a ceremony to honor her in person soon.
