State trooper receives lifesaving award
By Cerise Merritt Ripps
Editor
A former Dalhart DPS trooper received a lifesaving award Thursday in Austin for his efforts in March to rescue Amanda Miller, who had been injured in a crash with a semi-truck. It was given to him by the Texas Public Safety Commission.
“It was my first time to be first on a scene with severe injury,” recalled Bryan Pena, the Department of Public Safety State Trooper who was stationed in Dalhart at the time. He has since been transferred to Amarillo.
“But we go through a lot of Emergency Medical Technician training, and I had all of that running through my mind. That kicked in and I knew what to do and what to look for when a real person’s life was at stake.”
When Pena was called to scene of the US 87 accident involving the semi-truck and a backhoe on March 13, he quickly went to work, gathering his medical supplies and a trauma tourniquet. He applied the tourniquet to Miller’s arm to stop bleeding and tried to help keep her calm until the Apollo Life Flight helicopter arrived.
“He is a true hero,” Miller said. “He kept talking to me the entire time, which helped so much. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t even be here today. I owe everything to him.” Miller has since undergone nearly 50 surgeries, but is recovering. Pena continues to stay in touch with her by telephone, which she appreciates tremendously.
“We spoke for about an hour just the other day,” she said.
“He wanted to give me his medal, which meant so much to me, but I told him that that was his, he earned it and he should keep it.”
Pena, who is originally from Lubbock, moved to Dalhart with his wife, Abbi, immediately upon completion of his training. At first, he wasn’t excited to be here.
“I never thought I’d end up in Dalhart,” he said. “I’d drive through there and it was one of those places that if you blinked, you’d miss it.
I always wondered why anyone would want to live there, and when we got stationed there I thought, ‘This is going to be a change, but maybe we can make it one year.’ We were there three years and I got so attached that leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my adult life.”
Abbi Pena taught algebra and coached volleyball at Dalhart High School, which helped the couple get involved locally.
“We formed an attachment with the community – with other law enforcement, business owners, local people, farmers, students – the bonding was unbelievable. It all helped me become a better trooper, because how these kids viewed me was how I really wanted to be,” Pena said.
“Dalhart will have a special place in my heart for a long time.”
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