Right Place, Right Time
Wristband Number: 502466
Last week, one night after leaving work, I was about to pass a nightclub, The BLOCK in Fort Walton Beach, FL. I noticed something out of place up in the distance while driving. As I drove closer, I realized that a white SUV had smashed into a tree out front of the club and the wreck was BAD. I quickly pulled over on the side of the road in my truck and ran over to the scene. With no emergency vehicles at the scene, I realized I was the first responder. A delirious young black man was standing outside the driver’s side door holding onto a young black woman in the car. As I approached the vehicle, I could see the woman moaning in pain and the closer I got, the more blood I saw. She’d clearly lost a LOT of blood as it was covering everything. The young man was telling her to hang on, trying to keep her conscious and her head lifted upright, as she was struggling to. I asked if she was okay and what they needed. The young man said, “She’s got a laceration on her forehead” and pulled his hand away from her head to check. When he did, blood poured everywhere. I quickly ran to my truck, and got my emergency medical kit. Inside, I had a large, sterile first aid compression bandage wrap and a pair of Leatherman Raptor medical shears. I cut open the vacuum sealed bandage and handed it to the young man to wrap her head with. I put on latex gloves (for the blood) and using the shears, cut her lose from the stuck seatbelt; also instructing the man holding her to support her neck, but not to move her. Moments later, the EMT’s arrived arrived and I stepped aside, letting them know her condition. A young policeman then asked me for any information and who I was. I told him “I didn’t see the crash, but I was the first responder”. I then explained the story and what my part in it all was. He then asked “Would you step over here to my car for a moment? I’d like to speak with you.” I thought for a moment, maybe I’d done something wrong. But instead, the officer gave me my bracelet. He explained, “These bracelets are given to people who go above and beyond in an act of kindness,” thanking me for mine. After explaining, he encouraged me to visit the website and tell others to do the same. This story was then published in the local news paper, “The Destin Log” on the front page. Hopefully, this will draw more support to the cause!