EMOTIONS RAN HIGH as some 40 of us gathered Thursday evening at the Faribault police station to honor two individuals who helped save the life of a motorcyclist severely-injured in an August 26 car-motorcycle crash by our house.
One of those honored was my husband, Randy. Also recognized was Paloma Sanchez, a passing motorist who stopped and joined Randy at the side of Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck.
In part, the award presented to Randy reads: “In recognition of your commendable courage, compassion, and a willingness to assist a seriously injured individual during a life-threatening emergency.”
Those words reflect the seriousness of the crash, which left Scooter with severe head trauma, a broken pelvis and more requiring several weeks in the ICU. To see him Thursday evening doing so well nearly two months after he was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester proved emotional. He’s currently recovering in a local care center, working hard to rebuild his strength so he can walk again.
Several times on Thursday I glanced back to see Scooter and others in tears. I was on the verge myself. To see him upright in a wheelchair, talking, showing emotion, contrasted sharply with my memory of Scooter lying on the pavement moaning, his breathing ragged, the back of his head a graphic, bloody mess. He has no memory of the crash and for that I am grateful.
I am also grateful for the calm manner in which Randy and Paloma rendered aid, Randy kneeling beside Scooter in Willow Street, holding his hand while blood pooled. And Paloma using her new jacket to cradle Scooter’s head.
The responding officer, Todd Bristol, shared how thankful he was for their quick response, their choice to help, something that he noted is becoming a rare occurrence in a time when people would rather pull out their cellphones and record.
That word “compassion” in the award presented to Randy says it all. Love thy neighbor.
I was on scene, too, but not next to Scooter because I couldn’t handle seeing his injuries. Instead, I stood barefoot in the middle of busy Willow Street waving my arms wildly above my head so oncoming motorists would see me in the dark, slow down and avoid hitting the two men in the middle of the street. Paloma had not yet arrived on scene.
I also, immediately upon running out of our house, prayed aloud for the injured motorcyclist lying in the street. I shared that with the crowd at the recognition ceremony, emphasizing the power of prayer and the presence of God. Paloma did the same.
That August evening as the ambulance took Scooter directly from the scene to a waiting air ambulance at the local airport, none of us knew if he would survive. But he did and looks remarkable considering the extent of his injuries.
Credit for his survival goes in part to those two everyday, average citizens, Randy and Paloma, who chose to step in and help an injured man in need. Their “immediate intervention may have been instrumental in sustaining the (motorcycle) operator’s life until EMS personnel could take over his care” reads the award. I agree.
I am incredibly proud of Randy. He spoke briefly after receiving his award, sharing that he was injured in a motorcycle crash nearly 30 years ago. His injuries, though, were minor and he encouraged Scooter to keep working hard in his recovery. He also noted his experience reacting to medical trauma. In 1967, at age 11, Randy raced across cow pasture and fields to a neighbor’s farm for help after his dad’s hand was caught in a corn chopper. That was after he turned off the power take-off. His dad survived, losing his left fingers and forearm, but not his life.
And today Scooter is alive, partly thanks to the actions of Randy and of Paloma.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Again, congratulations to Randy for his compassion and caring. I’d forgotten he reacted just as well during that traumatic situation when he was just a kid. It shows that the good in him goes to his core.
You are so right on that. Goodness to the core. He happens to be the calmest person I know, which seems to be a family trait.
Congratulations to Randy. It’s nice to see that he and Paloma were honored, but of course, that’s not why they did what they did. They jumped in to help which takes some courage in such a difficult situation.
You are exactly right, Colleen. Thank you for appreciating their efforts.
Well deserved recognition, Randy and Paloma. Congratulations!
Thank you, Bernadette, for valuing their actions with your appreciative comment.
It is so good to know that in serious situations, there aree still people who jump in and are happy to help. Congratulations! L. Jannusch
And jump in they did. I agree, it’s wonderful to see that individuals like Randy and Paloma will jump in and help.
What a great honor for Randy and Paloma. So grateful for their compassion and help for Sooter, and that Scooter is getting better. It could have been so different but for Randy and Paloma.
It truly was an honor for them. And, yes, to see Scooter doing so well was a highlight of the evening.
True heroes are Randy and Paloma. Thank you for stepping up and being compassionate, selfless humans. Bravo!
Thank you, Chris, for recognizing the importance of Randy and Paloma’s actions in saving Scooter’s life.
What you wrote about how many would rather pull out phones to record an accident scene than dive in to help really struck me. Randy and Paloma demonstrated the best in people with their compassionate actions. That’s a beautiful thing and we can never have too much of that in the world. Congratulations to Randy! And to you for making sure no one ran over the biker and the helpers in the dark!
Thank you, Kathleen, for your kind words about Randy, Paloma and me. I couldn’t do what they did. But I tried to make sure motorists slowed down and didn’t run over Randy and Scooter. As vehicles slowed down, I asked if anyone had medical training. No one did, but Paloma pulled over and helped anyway. Randy told me later that he saw a neighbor with her cellphone out filming. Why?
Audrey, I’m so pleased the responding officer highlighted the value of stepping up, from both Randy and Paloma. You also did, by alerting oncoming traffic while they tended to Scooter. Simply ‘turning up’ is a selfless act, not turning away, and certainly not treating tragedy as a spectator sport! Well done all three of you.
Thank you, Judith, for recognizing that all three of us assisted in this emergency. My role was smaller, but necessary to keep Scooter and Randy safe until emergency personnel arrived.
Such an amazing testimony to the power of community and how compassion and prayer are still the cornerstones when horrible things happen. Proud of Randy? Of course you are! Well deserved awards to both of them and also to you who prayed over the situation and helped during the actual event . Staying calm and aware of what needs to be done is vital in a crisis and you guys all exemplified that. So glad that Scooter is on the mend.
Thank you, Beth Ann. And, yes, so incredibly thankful that Scooter survived and is working on healing and recovery.
The world needs more good people like all of you! 💞
Thank you, Rose.