Hermosa Man Awarded for Helping Save a Life

As longtime Hermosa Beach resident Cedric McRae walked by an emergency waiting room at Torrance Memorial Medical Center last week, he was prepared to register patients, check insurance, and complete other daily tasks as an admission representative.

But then he recognized a patient whom he has helped several times before sitting in the room, and he stopped in his tracks.

"She looked like she was in dire stress and in serious need of help," McRae told Patch on Tuesday.

McRae, who has worked at the medical center for five years, handed the patient some water before racing to find a nurse who then notified a doctor.

The patient, whose name was originally printed far down on the emergency room waiting list, was swiftly taken to see the doctor before her pain worsened. Patch agreed not to reveal her name in this article and officials wouldn't release details of her condition.

"I was quickly admitted to the hospital because this employee was determined not to ignore me and keep walking, but took the time to really care and notice what was happening to me," the woman said about McRae. “He truly saved my life.”

To honor McRae for his quick action and compassion in helping this patient, Torrance Memorial Medical Center presented him with the first “The Reason is You” award in a ceremony April 4.

McRae, who is the former president of the , was astonished and humbled to be surrounded by applauding co-workers when the award was handed to him at his work station, he said.

"I was really taken aback because I didn't expect anything like that to happen," McRae recalled. "Any number of people could have received this award because this is a part of what we do. I just happened to be in the situation to help a patient, in the right place at the right time."

After being surprised at his office desk, McRae was ushered to a special ceremony honoring him with the managers, directors and president of the hospital.

While McRae is the first recipient of the "The Reason is You” award, the Medical Center plans to continue awarding other hospital employees who demonstrate excellence and care through their positive interactions with patients. Patients, staff or physicians can nominate potential honorees.

For McRae, Torrance Memorial Medical Center and the Kiwanis Club are not the only places he has given back to others.

Before retiring to Hermosa Beach and becoming an admission representative at the medical center, McRae was a longtime social worker in cities across California, including San Francisco, Hawthorne and Inglewood where he lived his passion for empowering youth through tireless advocacy. McRae also has helmed a charity program feeding the homeless for the past decade.

“Helping people has always been my life goal, and I’ve been able to gain satisfaction from doing that each day,” he said.

McRae has lived in town with his wife Anne and two children, one who attends the University of Oregon and another who attends California State University Long Beach, for 18 years.