Matthew Troy Moreno had a heart of gold and lived to serve other people.

While serving as a full-time Deputy Sheriff in our county, Matt decided to volunteer as a firefighter. Matt spent hours training and rose to the rank of Captain. Even that wasn’t enough for Matt: despite his other commitments, he then also elected to become an EMT. He sailed through training, and soon became a part-time employee with the Trinidad Ambulance District. Matt always kept medical gear in his police patrol unit and frequently responded to medical emergencies, often arriving long before the ambulance. Matt was a true public servant.

Matt was also known for his sense of humor and his hilarious practical jokes. He was truly one of a kind.

On the night of December 12, 2018 Matt responded to a domestic disturbance call. While en route, he was struck head-on by a drug and alcohol impaired driver, who was travelling at 96 mph. Tragically, he did not survive. The Trinidad Ambulance District asks that Matt be recognized posthumously for his exceptional public service.

Matt is survived by his father, Ed Moreno (JoAnn); mother, Christine Dagnillo; daughters, Summer Moreno and Morgan Moreno; son, Jared Klipfel; ex-wife, Eva Moreno; sister, Karli (Casey) Michael; nephews, Kaleb Hargraves USMC, Gavin Hargraves, Ayden Michael; nieces, Maddie Michael and Kimber Michael; and girlfriend, Niccole Cordova.

Law enforcement, fire service, EMS; Matt selflessly served our community in every capacity. Matt is greatly missed, and we are all deeply saddened by his passing. Rest easy, brother. We’ll take it from here.

David DeTray, or “Bubba” as he is known in Trinidad, is Trinidad Ambulance District’s most senior employee. David is proud to have dedicated over 15 years of service to our community.

In addition to his work as a Paramedic, David is also a Fire Chief, a member of our Rescue Task Force, and our driving instructor. David is one of the most compassionate and caring Paramedics you will ever meet. His sense of humor is without equal, and he is quick to share a joke with his patients, colleagues, and hospital staff.

David has spent many years as an ALS provider at the Intermediate level. David wanted to earn his Paramedic certification, but there were many obstacles to doing so, not the least of which was that the closest Paramedic school was three hours away in Denver. Despite serving as the Fire Chief for a fire district in our neighboring county and on top of his full-time schedule with Trinidad, David sacrificed so that our community could have another much needed Paramedic in our ranks.

This dedication to providing high-quality mobile healthcare to his community makes Trinidad Ambulance District proud to call David DeTray a Star of Life.

Rob is the best of what this country has to offer. He exemplifies the characteristics of a true public servant.

Rob risked his life to defend freedom as a United States Marine, then again as a firefighter and police officer. Now, Rob is saving lives as a Paramedic here at Trinidad Ambulance District. He also serves as our county’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator.

Rob is an incredibly intelligent individual with a phenomenal sense of humor. He is affectionately known as our “encyclopedia.”

We are proud and honored to have Rob as a teammate at the Trinidad Ambulance District.

Gabe is an accomplished Medic and an amazing leader. Gabe is a Tactical Medic and is on Trinidad Ambulance District’s Rescue Task Force. In addition to being a full-time employee with the Trinidad Ambulance District, Gabe is a dedicated community servant, serving as second in command at a local volunteer fire department. Gabe is also a sworn member of the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office where he frequently rides patrol shifts.

Gabe’s dedication to public safety is what makes him a Star of Life. Gabe puts his life on the line every day for EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement, in order to make his community safer and a better place to live. 

Dominic “Junie” Verquer has been a fixture in the Trinidad, Colorado community for many years. As a lifelong resident, it is hard to go anywhere in town without running into people who know Junie. In addition to being an EMT+ and the Public Outreach Coordinator for Trinidad Ambulance, Junie is also the County Coroner and is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Hoehne Fire Protection District. Junie’s life has been filled with examples of his dedication to community service and volunteerism.

Junie exemplifies the qualities of a true Star of Life. He is always ready to help, regardless of the time of day or the weather, and always without remuneration. The Trinidad Ambulance District wouldn’t be what it is without Junie Verquer. We are proud to call him our colleague and our friend, and to recognize him as the Trinidad Ambulance District’s Star of Life.