Hotel worker honoured for saving life of guest
Assistant manager who gave first aid among those saluted at awards event for hospitality workers
Patrick Moros won the inaugural Heart of Hospitality Award for, literally, saving someone’s life.
The front desk assistant manager at the Best Western in Kelowna went ultimately above and beyond the call of duty in responding to the attempted suicide of a guest in a room.
Moros was the first on the scene and administered first aid to save the guest’s life while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
“Whether it’s saving a life or making someone happy, it’s not just my job, it’s the way I am,” said Moros.
Moros was honoured this week at the Heart of Hospitality Award lunch at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna.
The Kelowna Hotel Motel Association organized the event as a way to spotlight front-line hospitality workers who often don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“These are the people who are always smiling and most likely the first person (visitors) encounter arriving in Kelowna and the last person they see as they leave,” said Kelly Watt, regional director of Sandman Hotels.
Watt came up with the idea for the Heart of Hospitality Award.
“Most communities have some sort of tourism awards,” she said. “But Kelowna hasn’t since the Exceptional Service Under the Sun awards the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce did over a decade ago. So, this is a good way to start again because hotel workers don’t just represent the hotel they work at, but the whole community.”
Along with the recognition and a plaque, Moros also won $1,000 cash and prizes worth $1,800, donated by various businesses. Some of those prizes included a ski-and-stay package at the Sutton Place Hotel at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, stay-cation nights at Holiday Park Resort and Sandman Penticton, tour, tasting and lunch at Mission Hill Winery, wine from The Chase and The View, a summer fun package from Big White Ski Resort, dinner and club seats for a Rockets hockey game, movie tickets, and dinner gift certificates to Moxie’s and Milestones.
Moros was born in Egypt and has worked in hotels for 15 years.
Before moving to Kelowna to rejoin family and get a job at the Best Western, he worked at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria in Dubai.
While working as a bartender at a hotel in Greece, he heard a story about newlyweds who went for a swim in the ocean and the bride losing her wedding ring.
On his time off, Moros took to the water with a snorkel mask and dove for 4 1/2 hours until he found the ring.
“I surprised the couple at checkout with the ring,” he said.
Seven other finalists were also chosen based on recommendations from their managers, guest comments and TripAdvisor.com reviews.
They were also honoured at the lunch.