Two hometown heroes honored

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000 | 10:46 a.m.

Two hometown heroes were honored Wednesday by the Las Vegas City Council for vastly different reasons.

Roy Thomas, a former Navy paramedic, received the city's Medal of Honor for stepping in to assist off-duty Las Vegas Fire Department Capt. Nathan Pechacek when he was critically injured Sept. 17 in a vehicle accident.

Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald said Thomas would have stopped for anyone, proving his "Good Samaritan" nature and "unselfishness."

She also used the moment to condemn drunken driving. Dorin Geba, the 33-year-old driver of the sport utility vehicle, which police say struck Pechacek's vehicle, has been charged with felony driving under the influence.

Thomas humbly accepted the award by thanking the firefighters for saving lives every day and thanking the community for responding to a blood drive to assist Pechacek, who remains in critical condition at University Medical Center.

The other honor went to Olympic gold medalist Lori Harrigan, who helped lead the U.S. women's softball team to victory in Sydney and also won a gold medal with the team in Atlanta four years ago.

Oct. 4 was proclaimed Lori Harrigan Day.

"She is a real treasure as far as Las Vegas is concerned," Mayor Oscar Goodman said.

The mayor said Harrigan is a credit to the city because she always mentions Las Vegas when interviewed and serves as a role model.

"When I speak of Las Vegas, and my nickname on the team is Vegas, it's very genuine," Harrigan said.

The 30-year-old pitcher also said she'd like to go for the gold again in Athens, Greece, four years from now.