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SNAPSHOT: DEBBIE AUBIN

Occupation: I am a triage nurse at Garner Correctional. I also work part-time

at Danbury Hospital in the emergency room. I have an associate's degree in

human services and a bachelor's degree in psychology. I obtained my nursing

degree at Mattatuck Community College and am working on my master's in nursing

at Western Connecticut State University.

How Long in Newtown: I have lived in Newtown for 42 years. I moved here as a

child with my parents from Bridgeport.

Biggest Change Seen in Town: The change of a small town into a city-like

atmosphere. I see the small town attitude dissipating with people. Instead of

thinking about other people, they are only thinking of themselves.

Family: I have three children, Danielle, 28, a corrections officer at

Cheshire; David, 25, who works for Servpro; and Daniel, 22, who is a truck

driver. I also have an extended family of my parents, who are snow birds,

living in Florida during the winter and in Massachusetts in the summer. My

parents practically raised my kids while I was going to school. I have a very

strong family.

Pets: We have two dogs, Horace and Zora.

Favorite Books and Authors: I read my school books and nursing journals. If I

pick up a fun thing to read, I feel guilty.

Favorite TV Show: I don't watch it that often and when I do, I go to sleep on

it.

Organizations: I have been a certified paramedic with the Newtown Volunteer

Ambulance Corp for 12 years. I teach classes as an EMSI. I think I spend more

time there than I do at my job. I get a lot of self-gratification from it.

Even with the ambulance, my focus is on my family. My family supports me in

that and participates in everything I do. My Mom helps out with the Ambulance

Corp, and my daughter, Danielle, and my son, David, are EMTs.

Most Vivid Memory Of Newtown: The snow when I was growing up. Nothing was more

beautiful. And we always had school no matter how much it snowed. We also had

the same bus driver, year after year. There was a continuity of these people

knowing you all the time you were growing up.

Favorite Vacation Spot: We love Ireland. My Mom, son and brother went with me

on a tour that included bed and breakfasts. We also have a summer place in

Massachusetts where we enjoy being together as a family.

Personal Philosophy: I think you have to be true to yourself. If you're not

true to yourself, everything else is a lie.