Jumpline magazine April 2024 - Flipbook - Page 19
Thankful
from multiple agencies. If he died, he would receive a 昀椀re昀椀ghter’s funeral that would be held at St. Mary’s Church.
Reece has been with the City of Miami for three years. He
had once been an MDFR cadet. While in both EMT and paramedic school he would ride with various MDFR units in Battalion 10. On the B shift he is known as “White Broc.” This was
his nickname because he had mistaken cauli昀氀ower for white
broccoli. Reece’s 昀椀rst intubation was with Rescue 6. The 昀椀rst
time he placed a 24’ ground ladder was when he trained with
Engine 6. The 昀椀rst grass 昀椀re he fought was with me on EMS
6. I loved having Reece ride with me because, unlike throwing
a baseball, I could show him how to be a good 昀椀re昀椀ghter and
paramedic. I say that while Reece works for the city, he was
“county trained.”
I arrived in Miami and was whisked away to Jackson Memorial in a police car. I was met by my wife and son. It was very
dif昀椀cult seeing Reece, intubated, and on a ventilator. The next
day, I was handed Reece’s watch and 昀椀re department identi昀椀cation card in an evidence bag. Just like the bags used to
collect belongings from patients that were deceased.
Reece was admitted into the cardiovascular intensive care
unit. The news got better as hours went by. The CT of the
brain showed no signs of damage. Reece was able to maintain his heart rate and had good blood pressure. A couple of
days later, the sedatives were reduced and he was extubated.
I do believe in God and that there is power in
prayer. I asked Father Marino to stop by and visit Reece.
The day before he came, Reece had dif昀椀culty going from a
sitting position to a standing position. He was winded. The
same day that Father Marino came to visit, I went to church.
The opening hymn was Amazing Grace. For those of us that
have been to 昀椀re昀椀ghter funerals, this is the song that bagpipers play. I cried. I prayed. The next day, Reece was up and
walking with no shortness of breath.
Reece’s cardiac arrest was due to him having numerous
blood clots occluding his right coronary artery. The cardiac
interventionist removed some, but not all of them. Reece was
placed on blood thinners, intravenously. He will be discharged
from the hospital. He will be driven away, not in a hearse, but
the Dodge Durango.
As I think about this incident, I can only imagine my son, laying on the sand, his coworkers frantically trying to save his life.
I am indebted to them. They handled the Superbowl of medical calls and were victorious. This is THE call. Not often is it
about a person’s son, but rather the parents. Speci昀椀cally, the
head of the household. If they die,
the whole family suffers, emotionally and 昀椀nancially. I don’t know how
I would have been able to answer
the question, “How many children
do you have?” only to answer, “Two”
instead of three.
I am grateful that the personnel
didn’t load him in the back of the police car and drive fast to the hospital.
In fact, it just so happened that the
rescue unit from Brickell had been
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19
alerted to the call by a passing police of昀椀ce who had heard it
on his radio as the rescue unit was backing into quarters.
I am grateful that they did not stay on scene for the full 20
minutes prior to transporting him. The de昀椀brillation, intubation, and CPR were performed prior to the rescue unit’s arrival.
It was a witnessed arrest. No need to stay on the scene waiting for time to pass before leaving to the ER. No sooner than
the rescue arrived, they loaded him into the rescue and went
to the hospital, police vehicles blocking intersections.
The City of Miami was amazing in how they cared for me
and my family. They assigned a 昀椀re昀椀ghter to us on a full-time
basis. The station cooked us meals, allowing us to eat there
or delivering to us. The city released his classmates who were
on shift to be at the hospital on the day of and after the incident. The crew that worked the call were released from duty
the following shift which I understand is customary on “significant calls.” Units routinely stopped in and visited his room.
“What about us?” you might be saying. So many of you
have visited that when I check in and say his name, they wave
me right through. The station shirts and patches, my favorite
being “Pray for Jobs.” I love you guys and all the positive energy you have brought to me, my family, and most importantly,
“White Broc.”
So, what is the takeaway from this “medical miracle?” Maybe it’s not really a miracle as much as it is proof that bystander CPR coupled with prompt arrival of well-trained individuals
can and will make this a reality within our community. The
practice of staying on scene for 20 minutes has to change,
speci昀椀cally for patients who were “witnessed arrests.” Except
for the story about my son, I had this written for patients that
suffered out of hospital cardiac arrests who walked out of the
hospital. The common denominator was bystander CPR.
The other takeaway is the power of the brotHERhood.
When I was dealing with cancer, I had tremendous support
from my fellow brothers and sisters. So much so, that I felt
guilty because it was not guaranteed for the next person. To
that I was told, “You have to build bridges to receive traf昀椀c.”
You don’t build bridges by being sel昀椀sh – hand outstretched
looking to get rather than in your pocket looking to give. It is
a scary thought, but the individual that saves your life may be
the person napping in the recliner. Will they throw the game
touchdown or interception when you have the Superbowl of
medical calls?
To Jack Swerdloff, De Ann Walton, Clifford Barbic, Willie and
Alicia Williams, Alan and Sarah Perry, and Karen Chambers
for just one day I suffered the pain
you live each day, from the loss of
your children. To Mike Zuccaro and
Ryan Townsend, I appreciate you
being there to tell me that there is
the ability to function as a 昀椀re昀椀ghter, post cardiac arrest. Reece has
months of recovery and doctor’s appointments ahead of him. If Buffalo
Bills player Damar Hamlin can return to the 昀椀eld, Reece will “get back
to the 昀氀oor.”
April 2024 | JUMPLINE Magazine