It Was July 11 And Everyone Was In The Right Place At The Right Time

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Aug 11 2019 8:24 PM

DOTHAN:     It was a normal Thursday, July 11, 2019. A 72 year old Dothan man was going about his normal routine that day.

Several weekdays a year this 72 year old can be found with his grandson at 1451 Westgate Parkway at Dothan’s Tae Kwon Do. He joined his grandson under the direction of Master Lee and his son in taking lessons.

After a few minutes he started feeling ill and then fell to cardiac arrest, in that his heart stopped.

In the class with them was a lady who had taken the EMS Training at Wallace College and a retired RN. The lady with EMS training immediately recognized he had stopped breathing. She and the RN immediately started performing CPR. Another student called Dothan Police 911 to get a Dothan Fire Paramedics and Pilcher Ambulance on the scene.

Within 5 or 6 minutes Dothan Fire and shortly thereafter Pilcher Ambulance were on the scene. They found the two performing CPR and swapping on chest compressions. The fellow student man and lady were giving it all they had to save the 72 year old.

Dothan Fire and Pilcher Ambulance hooked the 72 year old up and between on the scene and arrival to Flowers Hospital shocked him 5 times. All in all there was 45 minutes of actual CPR on him.

The Fire and EMS rushed him to the Emergency Department of Flowers Hospital to be greeted by the emergency room staff ready and prepared to continue emergency life saving procedures.

After the 45 minutes and 5 shocks, they had a pulse and he was breathing. Of course assisted with emergency medical equipment, but they had a pulse.

Yesterday, August 10, 2019 I received a telephone call. It was from this 72 year old man. He called me from his home. Improving daily.

He is a miracle in that he has no brain damage or long term issues from not breathing for 45 minutes and 5 shocks. He is doing great and improving daily.

He said that I could use his name but preferred that I did not. But he has read articles where I have spoke about the EMS and emergency system. And he wanted me to share his story, with a focus on several issues:

1. If it were not for two people who knew emergency medical and immediately recognized what was going on, and they were not afraid to get involved and knew what to do, he would not be alive today.


2. If it were not for the Dothan – Houston County Communications Center ( 911 ) and prompt handling of the emergency call, he would not be alive today.


3. If it were not for the prompt and professional response of a prepared Dothan Fire Department and Pilcher Ambulance Service, their immediate springing into action, he would not be alive today.


4. If it were not for the Emergency Room Staff of Flowers Hospital, the prepared Emergency Room to receive and handle emergencies, their knowledgeable medical staff right here in Dothan Alabama, he would not be alive today.

He did not want the focus on himself, but on the talented people who were all in place at the right time. As a result, he is alive and well today, even mentally, with 45 minutes of CPR being performed and 5 shocks.

GOD had him and everyone in place.

On Saturday Master and Mrs. Lee and their son, and the staff and students of Dothan Tae Kwon Do at 1451 Westgate Parkway spent the day in training of CPR. Master Lee, Mrs. Lee and their son wanted everyone to know how to do CPR.

The gentleman told me that he can not wait for his improvement to get to the stage of returning to class. The job the Lee’s do with young people in training them in integrity, respect and honor and the return interaction from the young people return to the Lee’s, is beyond word’s to describe.

And everyone there is like family. All kept up with him and a lot visited him while in the hospital.

It was Dothan Fire Engine 6 ( Napier Field Road ) that responded as a Paramedic Engine. Pilcher Ambulance, Flowers Hospital Emergency Room, and the 911 Staff of Dothan Police that took the 911 call and promptly rolled what was needed, this gentleman wanted to give thanks to.

I thank him for calling and relating the story to me. Because it is with great honor to GOD for placing all pieces of the puzzle in place at the right time.

And it is with great honor that I get to point to the man and lady which were fellow students who recognized what was going on and were willing to jump in and give it all they had in order to save his life. And great honor to point out the professionalism of the Dothan Police 911 staff, Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance and Flowers Hospital Emergency Room staff and hospital staff.

And to point towards Dothan’s Tae Kwon Do on Westgate Parkway. A great family, great training, great atmosphere.

In closing, several incidents recently of people being saved because those around knew what to do. That people were willing to spring into action to give a person a fighting chance. Two that I now know of, a 15 year old in Midland City and a 72 year old that was in July in Dothan Alabama.

THANK YOU on behalf of this 72 year old man for everything everyone did. And PRAISE BE TO GOD for having the right people in place at the right time.

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