At the age of 15, Tashawn Tarver Jr. nearly lost his life.

Now a crew chief with the City of Albany, New York, he is passionate about serving his community. Tarver is responsible for helping to maintain the 89 acres of the popular Washington Park.

Every day he leads a crew in charge of removing scattered trash, filling in potholes and ruts, and generally keeping the park in beautiful shape for residents.

“I love coming in to work,” he says.

Tarver’s co-workers have noticed that he brings a little something extra to the job.

“He’s a very hard worker,” says Marc Lawson, a laborer. “He talks to everybody around the park and everybody likes him in the park. I’ve never seen nobody who don’t like him.”

For his service to his community, Tarver, a member of AFSCME Local 1961 (Council 66), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. The award recognizes public service workers who go above and beyond the call of duty to make their communities better.

Tarver says he is motivated to serve by his children and by “God giving me strength every day.”

Last summer, he was on the job when a co-worker called him and told him that a man had passed out near the tennis courts “with a needle in his neck.” Tarver, who had completed Narcan training a week before, sprang into action.

That day, he saved a man’s life.

“It felt amazing to actually step forward and save someone’s life,” Tarver says.

Watch Tarver tell his story in his own words.