Hot Shot: Sudden Death.
Lessons from a First Responder: Preparing for Life's Unexpected Turns
By the time I got there he was all but dead.
My partner arrived shortly before me and was greeted to the sounds of piercing screams. Frantic and inconsolable, a middle aged woman in her fifties, explained how her husband collapsed early that morning without warning.
Walking into pure chaos, I made my way up to the bedroom and saw a team of top notch paramedics hard at work. One looked up at me and shook his head. The universal sign for - deceased. Equipment was laid out all over the floor in an organized mess. The exhalations from the paramedics as they worked tirelessly to keep the man on earth grew louder as their bodies tired. “I think we have something”.
Soon after providing initial updates to dispatch, Family members began to arrive, walking in through the front door one by one and crashing to the floor like bowling pins.
"We have a light pulse, it's not looking good. But we'll try".
Paramedics loaded the man on a stretcher and made their way out of the home, through the front yard, skipping and performing CPR at the same time as they made their way to the ambulance.
How could this be? I just spoke to Dad this morning, said the oldest son as he held his head in disbelief crying like a little child. He was kneeling down on the hardwood floors of the living room shaking with grief.
The weather was beautiful that morning. Mid winter, sunny, not a cloud in the sky. I still remember the cold breeze traveling across my face as I waited for instructions from the paramedics on expected routes to the hospital.
“Stand-by for Emergency Run”, It was my second day shift solo.
This man in particular was a man of wealth on all fronts. He gave graciously and was beloved by his community. Death comes for us all. For some, there's an understanding on timeline and for others it's sudden death.
You can't choose when your time runs out. But you can choose how your earthly matters are planned and settled. Luckily for this man, he was quite literally raised from the dead and returned to his Family a few weeks later. All thanks to the unbelievable team work from the front line.
Commendations all round.
In my former capacity as a Police Officer, I have walked through households of all socioeconomic status. I can tell you, your house runs cold after you're gone. The thing about dying suddenly is that whether you like it or not police need to stay on scene for a little while. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard Families, in disbelief at their sudden loss, talk about a lack of wills and estate planning.
My unsolicited advice: Get your shit in order.
This story ends positively, but I can assure you I have countless more that ended for the worse. The damage you leave behind when you fail to have difficult conversations today doesn’t help your Family any.
Have discussions with your loved ones today, w
hile you are capable and have an operating mind. Circumstances outside of your control can come about quickly and take away your ability to do so.
With warm regards,
The Founder.