I went to a pretty serious call the other day while I was at work. A motor vehicle accident at highway speeds. We are informed by dispatch that there are two vehicles involved and a possibility of five patients. As we pull up to numerous highway patrol vehicles blocking traffic, debris scattered all over the road, and one car facing north on the south bound lane with the other car thrown next to the ditch. Fire and Rescue responded maybe three minutes before us and were already triaging patients. As I walked to the vehicle next to the ditch I see the driver, an older gentlemen, walking around and fire talking to him. I exhale slightly in relief, because that is the side that was t-boned. My partner walks to attend to that patient while I go to the passenger who is still sitting in the car due to right hip pain. Both driver and passenger are bloody and hurt, but have no major injuries that are obvious. When I ask them which hospital they want to go to, all the older gentlemen could say was," How will my wife and I get home." I simply replied," Sir we will find you a way home. Let's not worry about that now and take care of your injuries." He was cut up pretty bad and his wife was in severe pain. Once we got to the hospital I gave my report to both nurses that would be taking care of the husband and wife, they were put in different rooms. After I left the ladies room I went to her husbands room to let him know how she was doing. When he realized that she was going to be fine all he would say was," How are we going to get home." Once again I relied," Sir, we will get you a ride home if you cannot find one, and if for some odd reason the hospital can't find you one I will have them call me to take you home." Needless to say, two hours later the emergency department called me at my station.
It was the end of my shift and I was finishing my check on the truck. I hurried and cleaned out my car, then headed up to the ER. I stepped in the room and instantly said," See Sir we wouldn't leave you and your wife stranded." The gentlemen and his wife smiled and I drove them home. We talked the whole way, and I made some really good friends. The gentlemen had to get stitches on his arm and had broken ribs, but his wife came out with just bumps and scraps. They told me how they had just gotten done having a dinner date when the wreck happened, and we discussed how they needed to change the intersection. We talked the whole thirty minutes north until we reached their lovely country home, when his wife said," Don't just leave, come inside for a bit." I couldn't decline, even though my home is an hour south of the direction we just traveled. The gentlemen walked straight to the back room and his wife started showing me some of his wood workings he has done. The gentlemen came back out with a piece of hand carved décor and said," You don't know how much it means to me knowing I had a way home. I want to give this to you." He started to tear up a little bit and said," I will pay you if you don't think this is enough." I declined, one I didn't expect anything from taking care of my patient, and two the skilled work that came from his fragile, arthritic hands was priceless to me. I was honored he felt I deserved this piece of work. After about thirty minutes we said our goodbyes and I started the long journey back home.
I am not telling this story to get a pat on the back or recognition. I am simple telling this story because even the smallest gesture of kindness can touch some ones life more than we understand. Knowing I made an impact like that on him where he believed I was worthy of one of his pieces of art, kept me speechless. I thought about it the whole way home, and that night I knew my pay it forward really impacted a life. Even if it was as simple as making sure they had a ride home.
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