Agawam native receives Red Cross Hometown Hero Award

April 22, 2019 | Stephanie Trombley
stephanie@thereminder.com

Richard Theroux posed after receiving the American Red Cross Western Massachusetts Hometown Hero 2019 Award.
Reminding Publishing submitted photo

AGAWAM – “I’m no hero, but I’m grateful. This is kind of the kids and the American Red Cross, but I’m not a hero. When these kids have a success, it’s their success. It just makes me happy to help them. Why not help if we can?” Agawam native Richard Theroux said when asked how it felt to be awarded the Hometown Hero 2019 award by the American Red Cross Western Massachusetts.

Theroux spends his retired years mentoring youth at the High School of Commerce, located in Springfield. He was nominated by several of the students that he helps every day. “The kids got together and put it on Snapchat and got a hold of everybody on their own. This was very much of a surprise to me,” Theroux said.

Theroux ran for a seat as a Town Meeting member in the Town of Agawam at the age of 18 following his graduation from the Agawam Public School system. He became the youngest member ever elected. When he was 19, he ran for and was elected to a seat on the Agawam City Council. He was re-elected for six consecutive terms. During that time, Theroux was vice president for one term and president for three terms.

While serving on the Council, Theroux also worked as a history teacher in the Springfield school system and as an adjunct professor at Springfield Technical Community College. In 1983, Theroux became the Town Clerk for the Town of Agawam. During his time as Town Clerk, Theroux served as president of the Western Massachusetts City and Town Clerks Association of Massachusetts. He retired in 2017.

Theroux also volunteered on several local boards during his time as Town Clerk including a role as chairman and member of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) and Paratransit Authority. He also served as chairman of the board for the development of the Agawam Senior Center. He is currently a member on the Agawam High School track and field and building renovation committees.

Theroux, who has spent his entire life in Agawam, declined the position of Springfield City Clerk when Mayor Charles V. Ryan offered it to him because he wanted to stay close to the Agawam community.

But Theroux has also dedicated a great deal of time to Springfield. He has been involved in Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Springfield area and is a volunteer at a homeless shelter in Springfield. He and his wife, Carol Theroux, have mentored teenagers in the shelter for several years. Theroux refers to the teens as his “extended family.”

Theroux said he has always liked kids and it was a no brainer to dedicate his retirement years to helping them. “I’ve always liked kids. This was an easy transition for my wife and I. My wife volunteers at Baystate in the NICU unit. We both are trying to do this. She’s very tolerant of having the kids in our lives. We have two children ourselves and two grandchildren,” Theroux said.

Theroux said he didn’t want to spend his retirement years participating in the average retirement activities. “People ask me, ‘Why would you do that?’ Because I don’t want to play golf, hang around and go to dinner early. These kids make me laugh, so why not?” Theroux said.

When it comes to being a hero, Theroux said that the kids he mentors are more heroic than he is. “I’m not a hero, they’re heroes. They have tough lives and difficult families sometimes and they want to be kids just like mine. They want to have fun,” Theroux said.

Theroux said he treats the teenagers he mentors just like he would treat his children, Katharine and Michael. “I have rules. If I am someone who’s going to be in your life, you have to do well in school and I will try to help you get a job. There’s not going to be weed in your life or any other kind of drug. I want success for them,” Theroux shared.

Theroux continued, “I treat them like I would treat my own. I tell them they have to work harder and eat better.”

Thanks to a close friendship with the owners, Theroux has been able to assist over 17 teenagers with getting hired for jobs at Red Rose Pizzeria in Springfield.

But it’s not all about jobs and school. Theroux also takes students to places such as bowling and the movies.

“I carve out Wednesday nights and take a group to Red Rose, bowling, hockey games and different things that kids do and want to do. All I do is pay and stand back and watch them laugh,” Theroux said.

Theroux continued, “I took them to see some kooky Avengers movie. I said ‘Last one to the car has to sit in the back. These kids took off like rockets, laughing, fooling and running like crazy though the parking lot. One of the kids’ soda exploded and went everywhere and it made everyone laugh.”

Success stories have made mentoring students all the better, according to Theroux. Theroux recalled taking one student for his learner’s permit last month. “I told him I would pay for the first test and told him ‘Don’t be nervous, take your time.’ He came out of there smiling away because he got his permit. It’s a small change toward a successful life,” Theroux said.

With emotion in his voice, Theroux shared, “In a few months, graduation is coming. There’s a few I’ve hung onto all year long and they will march across the stage at Symphony Hall and that means a lot to me. There’s nothing like that first success for kids who had tough lives. It’s very important to graduate from high school. That’s the first step. The school system in Springfield does everything to help these kids.”

But Theroux’s mentoring doesn’t stop once the students walk across the stage. “I can help the kids with lots of things. We go down to TD Bank once they start working and set up a student account and work on taxes through TurboTax together. They learn all of these things. It’s simple. If you were going to buy your first car, chances are you’re going to bring someone with you that knows something about it or knows where to go. Unfortunately, they may have never had a father, but I’m happy to help them,” Theroux said.

Jeremiah Fisoura, who is one of the students Theroux has mentored, said the city of Springfield needs more people like him. “We never asked Richard, he always just does whatever his heart tells him to. It’s always nice for him to do those things and help us out. He just does it from the heart and you can tell it’s real and genuine. Richard is genuinely a nice guy and a nice man and we need more people like him in the city,” Fisoura said.

In an essay written by Wesley Bernard, a student mentored by Theroux, Bernard shared, “I remember a time I was a part of the Veterans Parade in my JROTC uniform. No one came to support [me,] but this guy as a proud father. I’ve never really had my biological father in my life growing up. I wondered how it felt to have a dad around and maybe even take some of his ways to use them when one day I’ll be one. Now I know this is someone I call my father figure.”

While Theroux admits that people in his life had their doubts, he is happy to be able to help mentor youths. “People I knew for years said ‘You’re not going to be able to do this. You’re dreaming. Kids are different and fresh.’ They said I wouldn’t be able to go back. It’s my third year doing this and they’re wrong. Sure, the kids are different. But I haven’t found one student that doesn’t want to learn, behave or be a success. You just have to work with them. You have to realize it’s not the 1970s and they have different ways and different attitudes. But if you care about them, if you show them you’re really interested in them and want to be in their lives and help them, it’s just great,” Theroux said.

What’s next for Theroux? Continuing to help local youth. “I’m working on a program with my daughter. Students are looking for prom dresses and it can be expensive. We’re working on trying to get some prom dresses and get them clean to set up in one of the teacher’s rooms,” Theroux shared.

“I was in government to help people and now I’ve moved away from that and I’m not special or a hero, but I just thought, why not? These kids are so happy because of what they’ve been through in their lives and are in need for help. Everyone should try to help someone and everyone can. I wanted to help people,” Theroux said.

Theroux said he will continue to mentor area youth with his wife on his side. Theroux said, “I’m no hero, I’m nobody special. But very simply, these kids make me laugh. You take them somewhere, you do something with them and it makes me laugh. Is getting an early discount on dinner worthwhile or playing golf? No, that’s not me. I love the High School of Commerce and love what I am doing. My wife and I want to keep doing something that’s worthwhile.”

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