Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Courtesy photo: Jenny Essary of Floyd schools Delbert Rector from Floyd Fire Department presented Ivan Gurrola, 6, with a certificate of bravery at Floyd schools on Monday after the first grader returned to school after being out for three weeks. Gurrola was injured while protecting his 4-year-old sister from a dog.
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A first grade student at Floyd Municipal Schools was honored for his bravery in the face of danger Monday when he returned to school.
Ivan Gurrola, 6, returned to school Monday morning after a three-week absence due to injuries from a dog attack.
link Courtesy photo: Jenny Essary of Floyd schools
Delbert Rector from Floyd Fire Department presented Ivan Gurrola, 6, with a certificate of bravery at Floyd schools on Monday after the first grader returned to school after being out for three weeks. Gurrola was injured while protecting his 4-year-old sister from a dog.
The first grader was playing outside at a friend’s house on Oct. 11 with his 4-year-old sister Kimberly when an agitated dog approached them.
When the dog approached his sister, Ivan stepped between the dog and his sister, an action he paid a price for, receiving 17 staples in his leg as well as a bite mark on his arm.
“He is a sweetheart. He has a huge heart,” said preschool teacher Sherri Chenault, adding that Ivan’s bravery came as no surprise to school faculty, but they still wanted to recognize it in some way.
At lunch hour, Floyd Fire Department personnel presented the 6-year-old with a certificate of bravery from them and Floyd Mayor Collin Chandler.
“They were chanting his name in the cafeteria and even my preschoolers today were chanting his name, so I know it’s made an impact on them (students),” Chenault said. “And Kimberly is very proud of him too. She was telling her classmates what he did for her.”
First grade teacher Shawna Skinner said on top of having a big heart, Ivan is a little boy not keen on being the center of attention.
“When he came back to school on Monday, he was embarrassed by the attention, and everyone calling him a hero,” Skinner said.
“Since he came back on Monday, he hasn’t talked about it, and he gets really shy when people bring it up. He’s just really humble.”
EMS Chief Delbert Rector said he was on the ambulance call the day Ivan was taken to the hospital for his wounds, and he was both surprised and impressed at how calm and mature he was when being treated.
“You don’t always see that kind of bravery, no matter what age you are, and we are just really proud of him,” Rector said.
