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<p>Wilkes University nursing students Amber Ankudovich and Peter Sidari were en route to a local hospital for clinicals when they instead found themselves using their training hands-on.</p><p>The duo soon realized that the cause of a traffic jam at the intersection of River and Market streets in Wilkes-Barre was due to a crash involving a bicycle. A man had been stuck by a motorist, and the nursing students ran to assist him.</p><p>Ankudovich and Sidari were presented with a Medical Hero Award by the American Red Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania at the annual &#8220;A Celebration of Heroes&#8221; event for their actions.</p><p>The students assisted the man by providing chest compressions until paramedics arrived, they said, along with the support of good Samaritans who tried to render aid in any way they could.</p><p>&#8220;There were a lot of people beyond us that were trying to help,&#8221; Ankudovich, of Kingston, said. &#8220;I think we were just lucky that we had the skills and the training from going to school to be able to act in the way we did.&#8221;</p><p>This is the first award for both students, who said they felt humbled by being honored. Both Ankudovich and Sidari are now in their junior year and are hoping to spread the word for more people learn basic life-saving techniques.</p><p>Sidari, of West Pittston, said that a CRP certification is easily attainable, and that performing CPR shortly after an incident can drastically improve the chance of survival.</p><p>&#8220;We just hope that we inspire other people, and we just want to tell everyone that you don&#8217;t have to be a medical professional to make a difference,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Medical Hero Award recipients Amber Ankudovich, second from left, and Peter Sidari receive their awards from Red Cross of Northeast Pennsylvania Executive Director Bill Goldsworthy, left, and presenters Kathi Bankes and Rick Kazmerick. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_TTL03xx18RedCrossHeroes_14.jpg</photo0><caption0>Medical Hero Award recipients Amber Ankudovich, second from left, and Peter Sidari receive their awards from Red Cross of Northeast Pennsylvania Executive Director Bill Goldsworthy, left, and presenters Kathi Bankes and Rick Kazmerick. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Red Cross Everyday Heroes: Wilkes nursing students honored for fast action