— from Art Lange —
I have seen many letters to the editor expressing thanks for what OIFR responders did to help the person writing or someone close to them. As a reader of these letters, I always found them to be thoughtful and gracious and well said.
I have discovered that it’s different when it’s someone I love whose life has been saved.
I now understand why so many people want to express publicly their appreciation for our responders.
My son-in-law was visiting with his family and suddenly fell to the floor in one of the cabins at West Beach. His wife, my daughter, called 911. They responded immediately and MedEvac’d him to St. Joseph’s who then helicoptered him to Harborview in Seattle. He had a ruptured brain aneurysm. They performed the surgery and he is fine with no physical or cognitive deficits.
The quick, professional, competent, effective care he received by OIFR responders was critical to his coming out of this with no lasting effects. I’d like to thank Bryce Hamilton, Rita Harvey, Seth Ibarra, Pat Ayers and RJ Myers for saving his life. We are very fortunate to have responders here with the expertise and compassion that they demonstrate virtually every day.
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Art, so sorry to hear about the incident with your son-in-law but thankful that the OIFR responders were there to save his life. Our prayers are with him and your family and ditto about the Orcas Fire and Rescue team. Well done!
I’ll just echo what Tony said, on both counts. Well done and happy landing for all! Thanks OIFR.
OIFR is a great asset to have surrounding us, hoping for a speedy recovery for your son in law.
Art–my heart about stopped when I read aneurysm. So happy it was resolved. I had an incident myself–I was alone, Tim was traveling, and I passed out. Didn’t have to be evac’d but what a relief to have our great EMTs come to help.