11 years later, a Red Cross Youth Good Samaritan Hero is still serving his community
The Red Cross does so much in the community every day, including shine a spotlight on everyday heroes at their annual Red Cross Heroes Breakfast.
One past hero is a perfect example of those who continue to give back every single day.
CBS News Chicago first met Acey Longley in 2013, when he was honored at the age of 9 with a Red Cross Youth Good Samaritan Hero award after starting an organization to bring gifts to children in local hospitals.
The former Chicago area resident is now a firefighter in Kentucky.
"It's definitely to serve my community and to make sure everybody is as safe as they possibly can," he said.
His life was impacted by fire even before he was born. Longley's father, Ty, was killed in a 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire. Ty was playing guitar for the band Great White when the club caught fire, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200 others.
Acey wasn't even born yet.
"It was tough for me to be in school and see other students have their fathers around, but I couldn't relate," he said.
It was tough, but it also inspired a desire to help. From a young age, Acey decided to give back.
"I have been serving my community with philanthropy work – especially Joliet and Plainfield – since I was very young," he said.
At age 7, he started an organization called Beats to collect gifts for sick children. The organization was created in his father's memory, but that's not all he was doing to give back.
"When I was 7, instead of collecting presents, I collected money instead to hopefully someday help some kids in Haiti," he said.
A year ago, he decided to do more – to become a firefighter, with one goal in mind: "To ensure something that happened to my father never happens to anybody again."
That is what his need to help looks like today: putting out fires and saving lives.
"I get to make people's days better, and I get to get rid at least most of their problems, and I get to as much as I can for them," he said.
The Red Cross is looking for its next class of heroes; everyday people living in our community who've shown immense bravery, dedication or service to our community.
For more information on how to nominate someone as a Red Cross Hero, go to redcross.org/hero. The winners will be honored at a special breakfast in February.
