Melissa Ann Work had nothing but concern for her husband Gene when he suffered a heart attack whilst laying sod.
Though she fretted as to what life would be like without him, she was fortunate enough that a group of quick-minded first responders were able to rush him to hospital in time. Melissa might well have lost her husband on that summer afternoon, were it not for their help.
With the Work family indebted to the first responders for saving Gene’s life, the men could quite easily have accepted the tag of heroes and left it at that. These weren’t any usual guys, however, and it’s what they did after taking Gene to the hospital that has garnered them international recognition online.
Once Gene was out the hospital, having survived the heart attack with the help of the group of excellent first responders, Melissa took to Facebook to share what had happened in the immediate aftermath of her husband’s ordeal.
She said on Facebook: “I don’t know how to start this, but PLEASE read and PLEASE PLEASE share!!!!!”
Before my husband had his massive heart attack, he was working on the sod with my amazing brother-in-law. That is what triggered and set it off. We had just received our last four pallets and were going to finish it. It’s been my husband’s biggest stress as our HOA date to fine us a huge amount was getting closer.
While he was having his heart attack, literally in and out of consciousness, he kept begging me to figure out the sod and have it put down because he didn’t want it to go to waste and die. It’s ALL he kept asking about literally during a massive heart attack. LOL.
I calmed him and kept saying, ‘Jesus will help us. It’s ok. Jesus will figure this out, babe.’
We were sent off to the hospital and my incredible brother-in-law (who witnessed the heart attack) stayed back with my 2-year-old niece. He was planning on staying there by himself until midnight to get it finished.
He finished getting the old grass out and then began laying a few rows of the new sod.”
“As he was laying it, he heard huge trucks driving back down the road. He turned around and saw the fire truck and ambulance had come back. He was confused and thought they were coming to check on him.
Before he knows it, seven firefighters and EMT’s jumped out, put on gloves and said they came back because they knew Gene was in serious trouble and they wanted to lay the new sod so it didn’t die. They knew he wouldn’t be able to do any work for weeks so they came back.”
“They came back! They saved his life, dropped him off and then cared enough to save our GRASS!
They didn’t know our HOA was going to fine us.
They didn’t know that this guy’s wife (me) is about to fight for my own life during my bone marrow transplant next month.
They didn’t know that my husband pawned his favorite gun to pay for the sod that he thought was going to die.
They didn’t know all we have been through as a little family.
They simply saw someone in need, something in need and did this for us. This wasn’t in their job description. We have no words. Just sobbing.
PLEASE help us get these men honored! PLEASE help us find them so we can thank them!”
Yep, you read that right. They saved a man who was having a heart attack, rushed him to hospital for treatment and then returned to finish the job he was doing. To say they’re examples of modern day heroes is an understatement.
Needless to say, Melissa was desperate to find the men and thank them herself, though her search wasn’t fruitful in the beginning.
Fortunately, within days of her Facebook post, she located the men and took to social media again to update people:
“You guys. We did it!
They were honored. The world knows about them.
We got to meet our heroes. We love them so much. They are now family. They saved his life and his sod. We can never repay them. They feel so loved by y’all. Keep it coming.
Our hearts are so full.
Captain paramedic Boyd Marshall. Driver paramedic Dave Schaffer. Firefighter Paramedic Jason Freiesleben. Firefighter Paramedic Robert Gerstner. Firefighter Paramedic Tyler Romanowski. Firefighter EMT Logan Campbell.”
That set of names should be spread as far and wide as possible, shared with everyone so that they’re given the recognition they truly deserve.
Well, that story of selfless compassion moved me to tears. It’s fantastic to know that in today’s world of bad news and trouble there remain people who will do nice things just because.
These men wanted no reward, sought no attention for the fantastic things they did. I’m just so happy Melissa was able to track them down and share their names. They certainly warrant being glorified!
Please help us get them the notoriety they deserve by SHARING this article on Facebook!
