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Celtics Recognize the "Heroes Among Us"
New England is home to many individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on our community, positively affecting the lives of others. For the fourth season, the Boston Celtics will recognize an individual or individuals at each home game who have made a special contribution.
2000 HEROES:
Here are the October/November 2001 Heroes Among Us:
 Raymond Nunez (pictured with Paul Pierce and Antonio Davis) |
Raymond Nunez
At the age of five, Raymond moved to the US from the Dominican Republic. Unable to speak English and failing all of his classes at school, Raymond joined the Boys and Girls Club in Lawrence, MA and turned his life around. With the help of the Club, he worked hard and began earning straight A’s. He also became dedicated to giving back to the community that helped him. At a meeting with President Bush in September, Raymond received one of the nation’s top honors - the National Youth of the Year Award by the Boys and Girls Club of America! He is now attending Tufts University, where he hopes to become a teacher to help other children reach their potential.
 Billy Ketchen (pictured with Antoine Walker and Shareef Abdur-Rahim) |
Billy Ketchen
For over fifteen years, Billy has been a volunteer Special Olympics coach! In addition to coaching basketball, Billy teaches his athletes life skills that will go with them into the home and workplace. His motivation stems from a deep desire to build a quality program while teaching his team members independence. Most importantly, he focuses on the abilities of his athletes, not their disabilities. It is because of Billy’s commitment and the team’s winning attitude that they have won the Gold Medal year after year at the Special Olympics State Basketball tournament.
 Francis Bok (pictured with Paul Pierce and Jalen Rose) |
Francis Bok
While living in his native Sudan, Francis was captured and enslaved during a military raid on his village. From the age of 7 to 17, Francis endured humiliation, daily beatings and imprisonment. After deciding he would rather die than be a slave, Francis escaped to America. Now 22, he works for the American Anti-Slavery Group in Boston. To publicize the plight of slaves worldwide, Francis has spoken on Capitol Hill, alongside Coretta Scott King at the Freedom Awards, at Harvard University and in front of the US Senate. He will also serve as a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
 Dawn McNair (pictured with Antoine Walker and Gary Payton) |
Dawn McNair
Dawn, a first grade teacher for 18 years, was named the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year for 2001-2002 by the Department of Education! The award honors an educator who exemplifies the finest teaching in the state. Dawn was nominated by parents at the Bowen Elementary School in Newton, where she has taught for eight years. She will spend the year with administrators, teachers, parents and students across the state. Her duties will include meeting with state legislators to representing Massachusetts’s teachers at national education events. Dawn lives in Natick, Mass. and is a native of Long Island, N.Y.
 William Pease (pictured with Antoine Walker and Michael Jordan) |
William Pease
While driving home late one night, William spotted an SUV ahead of him veer off the road, strike a tree and catch fire. Without hesitation, William immediately rushed to help. After spending frantic seconds trying to get inside, he managed to pry open the door and pull the driver, who was slumped under the steering wheel, from the burning car. Her hair and clothing were already on fire as he carried her to safety. Within minutes, her car was completely engulfed in flames. Thanks to William, the woman survived and fully recovered from her injuries.
 Erin Rosen-Watson (pictured with Antoine Walker and Charles Oakley) |
Erin Rosen-Watson
In search of a fulfilling community service project, 14-year old Erin began volunteering with an organization that provides handmade blankets to children in foster care, known as the Afghan Project. Over 1,100 blankets have been donated to the Department of Social Services to date, with the bulk coming from Erin personally. Erin recently branched out into creating shoulder and duffel bags that can be used by children entering foster care in emergencies. Erin even fills the bags with comfort items, so the children have something to call their own as they begin their journey into foster care.
 Members of the Massachusetts Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (pictured with Paul Pierce and Jason Kidd) |
Massachusetts Urban Search and Rescue Task Force
The all-volunteer Task Force was the first search and rescue team to arrive at Ground Zero in New York City on September 11th. For a full week, the 62 members worked 12-hour shifts digging through the rubble in search of survivors. Members and their families were in attendance that evening. Representing the Task Force are Brad Stocks (Londonderry NH Fire Dept.); Anita Arnum (Acton Fire Dept.); Mark Foster, Team Leader (Emergency Management Director for Beverly, MA); Steve Clendenin (Framingham Fire Dept.); and Glynn Montgomery (Malden Fire Department).
