Madeleine Amy Sweeney Award honors two Everett public‑works employees who rescued residents from fire

The Massachusetts Madeleine Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery was presented on Sept. 11 in the House Chamber to two Everett Department of Public Works employees, Jesse Winaker and Jason Papa, for rescuing residents from an apartment fire on July 3, 2024.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll described the recipients’ actions: without protective gear and before firefighters arrived, the two Everett employees entered the burning building and helped evacuate multiple floors. Driscoll said their actions “exemplified the spirit of selflessness and bravery demonstrated by Amy Sweeney and countless others during the tragic events of 9/11.”

The citation read at the ceremony, as reported in remarks, said the employees cleared “24 floors, a total of 14 people” before smoke and flames made further rescue impossible, and that they provided information that directed a firefighter to reach a child on the third floor. Driscoll told the chamber that everyone in the building survived.

Anna Sweeney Rossman, daughter of Madeleine Amy Sweeney, who died on American Airlines Flight 11, accepted and presented remarks about her mother’s legacy and the award established in her name. “It’s important to my family that I acknowledge the bold and never forgotten acts of bravery of my mother’s fellow crew members on Flight 11,” she said.

Representative Joseph McGonigal, Senator Sal DiDomenico and Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria were among officials who attended and supported the recognition; the Everett delegation nominated the two employees for the award, the ceremony record states.

The award honors civilian acts of courage in the spirit of Madeleine Amy Sweeney, the flight attendant whose actions aboard Flight 11 are credited with alerting authorities to the unfolding attack on Sept. 11, 2001. The Commonwealth has given the Sweeney award annually since 2002, according to remarks at the ceremony.

No formal legislative action occurred at the ceremony. The presentation was ceremonial recognition; the transcript records speeches, family reflections and the award presentation but not any votes, motions or binding policy decisions.

Clarifying note on name spelling: the transcript records the recipient’s name in two forms ("Jesse Winaker" and later "Jesse Winokur"). The ceremony record here uses the spelling that appears most directly at the time the winners were announced but notes the discrepancy in the transcript for record accuracy.