Hundreds of volunteers gathered at William P. Hobby Airport, this month, to plant 2,007 donated trees. The Crepe Myrtle trees are a token of appreciation from Guaranty Bank executives who wanted to “pay forward” the life-saving efforts of the airport’s employees from a year earlier.

What started out as a routine business trip for Guaranty’s Jim Hamilton, in 2006, turned into a fight for his life. Had it not been for the quick actions of Hobby’s employees, the story might have ended tragically.

Hamilton was on his way to San Antonio from Houston when he collapsed at the entrance to Hobby Airport. Within a matter of seconds the quick actions of airport employees, Gregory Wulfers, Arnoldo Romero, Josie Shakell and Southwest airlines employee Michael Sutton had an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at his side, and the airport employees began resuscitating him.

The Guaranty Bank executive had gone into cardiac arrest.

Moments later he was transported to the hospital where doctors informed him about the critical risk he had just survived. Hamilton picked up the nickname of “miracle man” at the hospital, where airport employees continued to check on him until he was able to go home to San Antonio.

“The donations that resulted from this incident are only symbolic of what we can do as a corporation,” says Lowell Duncan, senior vice president of marketing for Guaranty Bank. “During the holidays we celebrate miracles and gifts. The fact that Jim Hamilton is alive is a miracle and what we give back in return of our gratitude is a gift.”