Red Cross honored Dennis’ heroic efforts

Twenty-five years ago this week, the community honored a young hero.

The Nov. 15, 2000, edition of The Commercial Review featured a story about an informal ceremony at Jay County High School honoring 18-year-old Gary Dennis after he helped prevent a man from bleeding to death two weeks earlier. He was presented with a certificate of recognition from the American Red Cross.

Dennis was in the LoBill Foods grocery store in Portland about 5:45 p.m. Nov. 1, 2000, when a woman ran and yelled for someone to call 911. Dennis went outside to see what was happening.

Earl Grigsby was bleeding from the arm after he was stabbed while trying to break up a fight between his son and another man.

Dennis hurried back into the store, grabbed a pair of plastic gloves from the deli and ran back out to apply pressure to Grigsby’s arm. Dennis, who also used a belt as a tourniquet, stayed there until Jay Emergency Medical Service personnel arrived.

“It’s what I was taught to do,” said Dennis, a JCHS senior, noting what he had learned in his Red Cross training. “There was nobody else there to do it. I couldn’t just sit there and let him bleed to death.”

Dennis had earned basic first aid and CPR certification in 1998, learning from instructors Rick Dennis (his father) and Scott Tipton.

That training kicked in when he saw Grigsby.

“We’re proud beyond words,” said his mom Demara Dennis. “It was something that needed to be done. I’m just glad he was there to help.”

Earl Grigsby’s family expressed thanks for the actions of the 18-year old.

“It’s nice that the kid helped,” said his father. “I appreciate him going that far and doing something. I sure appreciate what he did.”