AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott recognized the hard work and sacrifices of Texas first responders on Friday when he handed out 46 Star of Texas Awards.
Gov. Abbott said the awards go to the men and women whose self sacrifice serves as a shining example and each person demonstrated incredible heroism in the line of duty.
“Our first responders represent the very best of what it means to be a Texan,” the governor said.
The Star of Texas Awards were created by House Bill 1937 back in 2003. That bill also designated September 11th as Texas First Responders Day.
The 2021 recipients of the Star of Texas Awards are:
- Officer Paul Manning Beller
- Officer Matthew Steven Brazeal
- Sergeant Christopher Charles Lewis Brewster
- Officer Ismael Chavez
- Officer David Coffie
- Officer Bradley Christopher Colman
- Deputy William Christopher Dickerson
- Paul Jude Dufour
- Corporal Jose Luis Espericueta, Jr.
- Corporal James Farmer
- Officer Wesley Fikes
- Deputy Joshua Garcia
- Officer Abel B. Garza
- Officer Edelmiro Garza, Jr.
- Firefighter Nicholas Gustavo Granados
- Corporal Lonnie Bruce Harrison
- Deputy Peter John Herrera
- Billy Ray Hollings
- Captain Frazier Lee Holbert
- Officer Richard Hudson
- Captain Ronald J. Janek
- Officer Jason Michael Knox
- Officer Michael Lamar Love
- Deputy Sheriff Eddy Luna
- Firefighter Larry Wayne Marusik
- Officer Alan Michael McCollum
- Deputy Odell McDuffie, Jr.
- Officer William James McKeon, Jr.
- Officer Lloyd Charles Morrison II
- Officer Justin Philip Mueller
- Officer Zack Owens
- Officer Mitchell Aaron Penton
- Officer William Matthew Phipps
- Officer Justin Read Putnam
- Deputy Sheriff John Andrew Rhoden
- Officer Colby Felix Rodgers
- Officer Frederick Rubin
- Corporal James Tom Santana
- Lieutenant Stacy Paul Seymore
- Officer Franco Stewart
- Sergeant Kalia Marie Sullivan
- Trooper Juan Rojas Tovar
- Trooper Chad Walker
- Firefighter Stephen Bernard Washington
- Deputy Richard Edward Whitten
- Corporal Ted Yelley