Speaking in Spanish, maintenance worker Danny De La Cruz remembered his first conversation with Tom Patton, general manager of the Ramada by Wyndham hotel in Santa Barbara.
“When I arrived here, I had no experience,” De La Cruz said . “I talked to Mr. Tom and said, ‘If you give me a chance, you won’t regret it.’”
Sixteen years later, De La Cruz has made good on his word and then some, recently saving the lives of two hotel guests in two separate incidents. For his actions, he was recognized by Wyndham during the company’s 2025 Global Conference in Las Vegas.