2010 Mt. Woodson Shindig / 1986 - 90 Reunion! (cont.)

I was awakened by radio chatter one early morning about 0130 in Washington County Oregon, just outside of Portland, to our Unit number being called by Dispatch. We responded with our lights on and began to roll silently into the dark night to another "Unresponsive" call at a private residence. The scene was secure as we rolled on in towards the address given.

We arrived with our gear atop our gurney, to an open screen door, with the local police already on scene. I walked inside to find a elderly woman, dressed in her night clothes, lying on her side with one arm outstretched above her head on the carpeted living room floor. It was assumed by her husband of sixty years that she had probably been sitting in her favorite rocking chair in front of the television where she slept most nights prior to him finding her there after waking to use the restroom. I remember looking over at this strapping, eighty something year old gentleman who stood probably six foot three inches tall, wearing pants, a t-shirt and suspenders, as he stood in the hallway, his seventeen year old grandson standing at his side while they both stared blankly at their loved one.

I was the "Paramedic in Charge" that morning and it was my duty to delegate and maintain scene control throughout the call. I heard the front door open and turned to see my Paramedic Physician Advisor, the doctor who gave us the ability to work as freely as we did in that county, walk in the and acknowledge me. Dr. Toovy was new to Washington County. Rumor had it that he was very interactive with his Paramedics and this was no exception. We continued "working" this lady who, as we found out, had a downtime of up to two hours, based on the time she may have been seen awake last. This was not a good sign but without signs of obvious death we were obligated to give her the benefit of the doubt and continued with our efforts. After administering the indicated rounds of medications and resuscitation it was obvious that there was nothing further that we could do for the patient. This is probably the hardest time of all calls no matter how seasoned a Paramedic you are especially when family is present and witnessing the whole process unfold.

It was then that I had to turn and walk down the short hallway, towards the Grandfather and grandson, to lock my eyes with their scared, empty, lost, tearful eyes and first explain to them what we found and what we attempted to do; and then to tell the soul breaking news that there was nothing else we could do for her and to say that I was sorry.

What happened next is something I didn't expect...

That strapping, six foot three inch tall of a man dropped to his knees in that hallway next to his grandson, his face in both hands and began to weep like I've never seen a grown man weep before in my life. The whole of his body shook, the sound of a child coming from those enclosed hands while the grandson, with his head hung low and crying too, kept his arm around his Grandfather's shoulders in an attempt to console him. I tried my best to hide my tears but had to turn and walk away and out the front door myself.


I don't know why I shared this story amidst the subject at hand but every now and then it surfaces and I have to talk about it. I'm not looking for any sympathy but just sharing something real that happens out there in the world that most don't ever get to see.

but still, I'd love to make it with an American Legend in my van.