Texas EMS Magazine, Volume 19, Number 1, January/February 1998 Page: 7
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Pon ofVe
By Ruthie Fudge, EMT
An angel goes home
S o many people take life for granted.
We get up every morning, get
ready for work or play, and never take
time to tell our loved ones how much
they mean to us. I'd like to share with
you this 34-year-old EMT mom's
Sunday off.
Telephone rings early Sunday
morning, waking up the whole
house. We've been invited to
Granny's for a barbecue, great
family fun. I'm a little tired, thinking
about the eventful week with the
EMS: several successful runs in three
days makes you feel good inside.
Later at Granny's, kids are eating,
playing, fighting-you know, kids'
stuff.
We're all sitting around outside
talking when a page for assistance
comes over the radio: a possible
drowning at the state park. "Oh my
goodness!" is all we say. We all
listen as the voice on the radio talks
on. My heart is really racing by now;
we know it is a 9-year-old girl. My
heart goes out to the parents of this
child. The ambulance is toned out
along with everyone else. Divers are
coming in from out of town to help
look. I'm really getting antsy,
thinking, "What can I do?"
So my sister and I leave our
families behind at Granny's. As we
pull out in traffic, we hear over the
radio that they've found the little
girl. EMS is working on her. Our
hearts race, minds flying: please let
her be okay. When we pull up to the
park, people are standing around
watching. We try to make our way
in to help: "EMS personnel, please
let me by." As the crowd parts way,
there is the scene: Mother sitting on
the ground trying to reach in to
touch her child. The father is looking
on, watching over the medics
working on his little girl.
Not a word is spoken as themedics work. Then the paramedic
calls it: "It's too late." I reach down
and ask the woman, "Are you the
mother?" She turns to me and
answers, "Yes, I am." The father
cannot believe what he has just
heard. He pushes his way to the
ground and with loving hands picks
up his little girl. Calling out her
name, he begs God to please bring
her back.
By this time, the EMS crew has
stepped back. The mother has
crawled to the side of her husband
and little girl. Taking the child and
weeping in silence, the mother
cradles her lifeless little girl. I turn to
the paramedic and ask if we can put
them in the ambulance. He says they
are getting the stretcher now. I take
off toward the ambulance to see if I
can help.
I get the stretcher ready. I look
up to see my sister gently carrying
this little girl, trying to make it to the
stretcher. I'm on the other side, my
arms reaching out to help. "Turn her
around," I say. I take her in my
arms, laying her down oh, so easy,
fixing her straight, covering her. The
father runs over and refuses to cover
his daughter's face, praying the
whole time.
I crawl inside the ambulance,
throw the side door open, and guide
the stretcher in place. My sister asks
what else she can do. The father
looks up at her with tears in his
eyes, "Please, could you get my
vehicle and my other children and
take care of them?" Off she goes,
leaving me to do what I can.
The mother is sitting so quiet,
trying to wipe off the mud and
gravel from her daughter's face. I
just stand there and watch in disbe-
lief. I snap out of it, get a washcloth
and some water and begin cleaning
up the little girl's face. People comeand pray over her and my heart
hurts for them. I try very hard not
to show any emotions, but it over-
comes my professionalism. I am
crying and asking God to please
help this family. I know she is gone,
but in my heart, there is still hope
for a miracle.
The funeral home personnel
arrive. I keep telling myself that I
don't even know these people. The
back doors of the ambulance open. I
bend down and tell the mother, "It's
time." The father becomes angry.
"I'm sorry," is all I can say, wiping
the tears from my face.
They pull the stretcher out of the
ambulance, but I just cannot make
myself let go. I try my best to help
them load her onto the other stretch-
er. I turn quickly to get away, but
find the EMS stretcher needs to be
put back. I hurry along, wanting to
leave. But I forget my radio back in
the ambulance, so I have to go back.
My sister, seeing my condition,
asks if I am okay. I tell her I'm going
to the car, and I try my best not to
have a panic attack. I start to feel
sick at my stomach. In the car, I start
crying harder than I can ever re-
member crying. My sister comes to
check on me. She tells the paramedic
and he comes to give me comforting
words. But my job is not finished. I
have one more thing to do.
I pull myself together as best as I
can. I get out of my car, make my
way over to the family, and wait for
the right time. The mother turns to
thank me and I reach out and hug
her. She is so grateful they found her
daughter's body. I whisper in her ear,
"She's an angel." She says, "Yes, she
was." I said, "No, ma'am, she is."
EMT Ruthie Fudge has volunteered in
EMS for 10 years. She currently volun-
teers in North Blanco County EMS.January/February 1998 Texas EMS Magazine 7
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Texas. Department of State Health Services. Texas EMS Magazine, Volume 19, Number 1, January/February 1998, periodical, January 1998; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1507967/m1/7/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.