I am proud to recognize some very special people whom I consider heroes.

When an emergency situation arises, we never know how we may respond. Several Clerk employees responded to an emergency situation and did not panic. They remained calm and took action, making a split second decision that saved the life of one of our employees.

In September, Stan Green went into cardiac arrest while at work in our Civil division. At that point, deputy clerks Bridgette Harper, Sharon Bennette, Lashaunda Anderson, Grace Uy, and Matthew Domenech came to Stan’s aid during this medical emergency. Sharon and Lashaunda performed CPR on Stan, and Brian Williams got a defibrillator, a device that delivers an electric shock to people whose hearts have stopped beating.

Customer and nurse Ms. Emma Fernandez Devora, Sheriff’s deputy Corporal Hiram Bustamante, and deputy Dave Triano also assisted until the Orlando Fire Department Firefighter-paramedics Tony Parisi and William Flinn got to the office within a few minutes. They were able to get Stan’s heart beating again.

I'm grateful to report that Stan is doing better now, and he came back to work on December 4.

We recently held a ceremony to present these heroes with certificates of commendation to recognize them for their selfless acts and heroic efforts. I commend them for their calm and quick actions to save Stan’s life. 

As 2018 quickly draws to a close, the holiday season is the perfect time to look back on the past 12 months, reflect on our accomplishments, and celebrate another successful year.  

This year’s achievements, to name a few, include the launch of online appointment scheduling for marriage licenses and passports, new tools to pay for criminal fees, order court records, and civil and family packets online, and the opening of the Self Help Center in Apopka.

We even had our "In My Feelings" challenge video go viral on social media.   

My office gave back to the community through service projects like the Central Florida Homelessness Commission and United Against Poverty clothing drive, the “My Health Matters" Fair, the Clerks Against Domestic Violence forum, and the list goes on. 

I am so pleased by all we've accomplished this year toward our strategic goals. 

Have a happy holiday season, and Happy New Year!