Jessie Faulkner/The Times-Standard

FORTUNA -- If there's anything common among the 27 North Coast residents honored at the Humboldt County American Red Cross' seventh annual Humboldt Heroes Recognition Luncheon Friday, it's a foot-shuffling modesty and slight discomfort at finding themselves in front of an enthusiastically applauding crowd.

There's also quick-thinking, bravery and a willingness jump in and do what was necessary -- whether it was saving a life or bringing much-needed round-the-clock medical service to a remote rural community.

Many of the tales were jaw-dropping -- and potentially life-threatening....

... Humboldt's Heroes:

Saved a life in the line of duty -- military: Lt. Kevin Winters, Lt. j.g. Russell Merrick were nominated with AET2 Kate Wakefield and AST3 Nick Staley for responding to a distress call about 50 miles west of Shelter Cove. Battling 40 knot winds with gusts to 65 knots and 25-35 foot seas, the crew -- with less than 19 minutes of on-scene time remaining -- hoisted the two survivors and the rescue swimmer within 12 minutes.

Saved a human life -- youth 18 & under: Miranda Dennison made the difficult decision to leave her sister and run about a block to their home to get help after a bike accident.

Saved a human life: Butch McBride, while working at his job at Cahill's Gas Station in Arcata, performed CPR and resuscitated a man found in the restroom, who had turned blue and perhaps was dead.

Saved a human life: Quinton Carper took the initiative to investigate the faint calls for help that he heard at about 1 a.m. on Christmas morning. He discovered an elderly man who had fallen on his porch about two blocks away in freezing temperatures.

Saved a human life: Sal Cabrera pulled a driver from a burning semitrailer after witnessing the accident.

Good Samaritan: Daniel Macias observed smoke billowing up from the Planned Parenthood, notified the fire department and then climbed over the fence, grabbed a hose and extinguished the flames.

Good Samaritan: Kurt Hatch and Josh Menard were working at Arcata Body Shop when they heard distant yelling for help. A man had been seriously injured by an accident with equipment on his cattle truck in a nearby field. They administered CPR, but were unable to save the man's life.

Good Samaritan: Karlson Hubbard and his California Conservation Corps rescued a couple in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park after hearing Jim Carr calling for help. His wife, Linda, had badly broken her leg over a mile from their camp, miles from the trailhead, and eight miles from the nearest phone.

Business Good Samaritan: Richard Wolven, a Eureka dentist, who for the past 38 years has worked as a volunteer with the Humboldt County Coroner's office to identify the deceased.

Saved a human life: Robert Talmadge and Claire Rombalski-Talmadge noticed a fire at a residential crisis shelter in Arcata and alerted the residents.

Saved a human life: Richard King and James Sherrick stopped at a house on fire and risked their own lives to catch an infant dropped to them, and to break the falls of the adults as they jumped to safety.

Saved a human life -- youth 18 & under: Jared Bonato,12, rescued Matthew Schroeder, 13, after he fell into a river while on a school field trip to Lassen Park.

Saved a life in the line of duty -- military: LCDR Mark Fluitt, Lt. j.g. Todd Vorenkamp, AET2 Adam Thaler and AST2 Tony Puglia responded to a boating accident at the mouth of the Klamath where four people were in the water. Two were rescued by the Yurok Tribal Rescue boat. The rescue swimmer was able to save one man, who had a prosthetic leg.

Good Samaritan: Joe Deschaine heard a strange sound late at night and found the entire side of his neighbor's home engulfed in flames. He immediately ran to the home, calling the fire department as he ran. The man who lived there had been taking a shower and narrowly escaped being trapped in his bathroom.

Humanitarian award: Eva Marie Smith, MD MPH, for her phenomenal dedication to the Hoopa Valley and the surrounding communities.

Saved a human life: Greyson Adams, 18, and Anibal Polanco, 19, rescued a man from drowning in a river.

Humanitarian award: Cheryl Antony for her outstanding service to the isolated Shelter Cove community and surrounding area. Cheryl, a retired pediatric nurse, mother of seven and grandmother of 14, is a remarkable volunteer who works tirelessly for her community.