County staff honored after attempting to save man’s life

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — Monday afternoon in a New Hanover County Commissioners meeting, seven county library and maintenance employees were given Stellar Awards for going above and beyond their job description.

Early April, librarians at the downtown New Hanover County branch were alerted that a man had passed out in the restroom. The librarians went to work, quickly calling 911 and attempting toe necessitate the 62-year-old homeless man. Despite their efforts, he died of a drug overdose before first responders arrived.

Staff members Brianna Davis, Brianna Menendez-Herrera, Frances Reys, Jamie Schrum, Joe Sheppard, Jeremy Steen, and Mike Kilgore were honored with the award Monday.

The man, whose first name was Malcolm, got a head injury at 22. Since then, his mental state kept him from keeping a full-time job, and led him to addiction. Commissioner Jonathan Barfield got this information from Malcolm’s sister, who said she was thankful for the maintenance and library staff’s efforts.

“She was so appreciative of the staff in the library,” Barfield said. “She said over and over again how much she appreciated the folks who worked at the library and the care they took of her brother. I want y’all to think about the faces that you see on the street corners. Folks have a story. They have a name. They have a history.”

The library and nearby parking garage has been a center of controversy.

Commissioners considered banning people from sleeping on the property during certain hours, but dismissed the regulation, wanting to find another place for homeless men and women to safely stay and get help before moving forward.