County Commissioners Cecil Pendergrass and Ray Sandelli at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

On March 17, 2022, Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy Rafael Jaquez was shot in the arm during a robbery that occurred at State Road 82 and Gunnery Road in Lehigh Acres.

He was immediately transported to the hospital by a Lehigh Firefighter Paramedic named Shawn Mowry, saving the deputy’s life in the process.

On Saturday, the two men met for the first time since that fateful day last year as both were honored by the East Lee County Chamber of Commerce at its 21st annual Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers.

The gala celebrates the accomplishments of those who don’t get the notoriety such as teachers, police officers, emergency personnel, health professionals, contributors to the Chamber and more.

However, it was the unexpected reunion of a law enforcement officer and the man who saved his life that stole the show on this evening.

County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass speaks at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Jaquez had just been awarded the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the Chamber when it came time to honor Mowry as EMS Professional of the Year.

Mowry said that he believed he had seen Jaquez somewhere before when it hit him, it was on that fateful day last year. Jaquez seemed to know immediately.

“I saw this group of officers and I knew most of them but (Jaquez) looked so familiar like I knew him from somewhere,” Mowry said. “When they told the story, I thought ‘Oh, my gosh. That’s the guy. I ran him.”

“When I got here, I told my captain ‘Hey, there’s a guy I want to know his name. I want to say thank you to him because he took away my pain,'” Jaquez said. “The guy who saved my life is sitting right in front of me. That’s why we work together as a team and keep each other safe.”

Jaquez was running on pure adrenaline in the moments after he got hit and the shooter was shot dead by law enforcement. When he saw he was shot and all the blood, things got scary.

Adele Rodriguez of Harns Marsh Middle School, sings the National Anthem at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Thankfully, Mowry knew exactly what to do.

“I was going in and out and there was all the pain. And I remember waking up in the ambulance and it was him,” Jaquez said.

“As soon as I got there and saw the LEO down, I ran straight to him, scooped him up and we hooked and booked,” Mowry said. “It’s just muscle memory at that point. I wasn’t fooling around.”

When the two realized what they had in common, they embraced to a standing ovation.

Other award winners included teachers:

Doris Cruz-Palson, teacher at the Alva School, receives a Crystal Award from Ed Moore at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Doris Cruz-Palson, The Alva School;

Brittany Jordan, G. Weaver Hipps Elementary;

Tracy Heyner, Gateway Elementary;

Jennifer McMillan, Harns Marsh Elementary;

Amadis Valentin Soto, Lehigh Elementary;

Brittany Jordan, of G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School, receives a Crystal Award from Ed Moore at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Linda Kalka-Juhl, Mirror Lakes Elementary;

Stephanie Liljegren, River Hall Elementary;

Miranda Lavender, Sunshine Elementary;

April Filip, Tortuga Preserve Elementary;

Christine Calardo, Harns Marsh Middle;

From left, Chamber Chairman Michael Welch, Lee County School Board member Kathleen Morgan, Lehigh Elementary School teacher Amadis Valentin Soto and Chamber past-chairman Ed Moore present Soto with as Crystal Award at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Edralin Hambleton, Lehigh Acres Middle;

Robert Oliveira, Varsity Lakes Middle;

Christine Lampkins, East Lee County High;

Jonathan Musci, Lehigh Senior High;

Shandra Backens, Veterans Park Academy.

The winners said they were thrilled to be given the opportunity to be nominated.

“I couldn’t believe it and I’m very appreciative that my peers believe I should be recognized for hard work,” McMillan said. “It’s nice to be noted and appreciated.”

“I’m surprised. It’s my second year of high school after teaching elementary school for 16 years,” Lampkins said. “I’m super excited to change but also to be recognized.”

Also, Nicholas Classetti was named Firefighter of the Year, Dave Kistel was named Health Care Professional of the Year. The Medicine Shoppe of Lehigh Acres was named Small Business of the Year, and County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass was given the Board of Directors Award.

Michael Welch, chairman of the Chamber, said the evening went very well.

“I think this was one of the best events we’ve had. It shows the East Lee Chamber is maturing and has become a force in east Lee County with the infrastructure needs and we have the credibility we have been gearing for,” Welch said.

Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy Rafael Jacquez, Lehigh Firefighter Paramedic Shawn Mowry and Lehigh Acres Fire Chief Robert Dilallo at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Lehigh Acres Fire Control & Rescue District firefighter Nicholas Classetti receives a Crystal Award from Lehigh Acres Fire Chief Robert Dilallo at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO

Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy Rafael Jacquez embraces Lehigh Firefighter Paramedic Shawn Mowry, who helped save his life following a shooting last year, at the 21st annual East Lee County Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers on Saturday. CHUCK BALLARO