Congratulations to our 2008 Kids are Heroes winners, who were chosen by judges made up of current and past pediatric patients of St. Joseph-s Children-s Hospital. 

Winners in the 5-8 Year Old Category:

THIRD PLACE –  Andrew Piazza (Pinellas County)
This young hero woke his parents up early on Christmas Eve morning to ask if they could buy toys for kids who need them. Moved by his sudden interest in others, his family spent the entire day shopping for toys, and brought the wrapped gifts to a local emergency shelter for children who are removed from their homes. Thanks to this hero's generous heart, his entire family is involved with helping out at the shelter on a regular basis.

SECOND PLACE - Adrianna Ferran (Hillsborough County)
When this hero's grandmother had an accident in her home, she ran to get help from her neighbor, a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy. Although this hero was only 5 years old at the time, she remained calm and acted quickly, which saved her grandmother from further injury.

FIRST PLACE – Nicholas Ketterer (Pasco County)
Instead of birthday gifts, this hero chose to collect food, clothing and personal toiletries for the homeless at his birthday party. He was able to collect enough supplies to provide 43 homeless people with a bag of items. He kept the leftover donations in his family's vehicle, and continues to distribute the items whenever he spots a homeless person in need.

Winners in the 9-12 Year Old Category:

THIRD PLACE - Jarett Rivera (Pasco County)
When his teacher went into sudden cardiac arrest and her heart stopped, this hero jumped out of his seat to see if she was OK. After realizing that she wasn-t, he raced to the school office for help. Because of his quick action, they were able to call 911 and the school's crisis team was able to use an AED machine to restart his teacher's heart. His teacher's heart stopped a total of eight times that day, and she credits this hero with saving her life. 

SECOND PLACE - Deondrick Short (Hillsborough County)
When his 3-year-old brother fell into a swimming pool, without hesitation this hero quickly swam to the bottom and pulled him to safety. After his brother recovered, he told his mother “I thought I was going to stay at the bottom of the pool, but my big brother saved me – he-s my superhero.” This hero-s quick thinking no doubt saved his brother's life.

FIRST PLACE - Michael Moody (Pinellas County)
This hero was recently diagnosed with diabetes and sprang into action when a school employee had a diabetic episode. This hero was able to determine that the woman needed sugar, and quickly gave her a sugar tablet and a soda. Within minutes, the woman was conscious and feeling better, and credits this hero with saving her life.

Winners in the 13-18 Category:

THIRD PLACE –Michael Carlisle (Hillsborough County)
When this hero's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, he took on extra responsibilities, including caring for a younger brother and working two part-time jobs. Throughout his mother-s treatment, this hero kept a positive attitude, never complained about the extra work and maintained good grades in school. Fortunately, his mother is now cancer free, and his family is thankful for this hero-s dedication and proud of his outstanding character. 

SECOND PLACE – Aaron Youpa (Pasco County)
After hearing that a Pasco County Sheriff's Office forensic dog, Sophie, was diagnosed with cancer and her only hope was a new and expensive treatment, this hero donated his babysitting money and spearheaded a fundraising drive to help pay for her medical costs. So far, Sophie has responded well to treatment and this hero's efforts have inspired others in the community to contribute to Sophie's fund. 

FIRST PLACE – Jordan Holzmacher (Pinellas County)
This hero was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was 10 years old, and has spent the last eight years raising funds for pediatric cancer research and educating others. His activities include sponsoring several blood drives and fundraisers for Florida Blood Services and representing the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Washington DC three years in a row. He also served as an "Honored Hero" for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's "Team in Training" marathon program for six years, and his photo has appeared on more than one million of their quarter (25¢) donation boards across the country.