LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dozens of EMS crews gathered at Freedom Hall, drove on I-65 North and exited on Zorn Avenue to do laps around UofL Hospital Tuesday evening.
EMS teams from all over Louisville and Bullitt County flooded the streets; this time it was not an emergency, but a special parade of love and hope.
They wanted to celebrate the birthday of the paramedic who had been injured in a serious accident last Monday.
"He is the sweetest nicest person; gentle heart," Angie Estes, founder of Code EMS Peer Support, said.
Coworkers said he is a nice man who is serious about his job.
"He cares about everybody, not just his patients," Sabrina Eskridge said. "He's really just amazing."
The Bullitt County EMS vehicle was transporting a patient to a downtown hospital.
It collided with a semi at Brook and Chestnut, throwing the 60-year-old paramedic out of the back of the EMS van and into the street.
"He would see it as if, it had to happen for him, to be able to take care of a patient, that's how it had to happen," Estes said.
Current coworkers and past colleagues all echoed the same thing; he is a man who is dedicated to the job.
But right now they are missing his gentle spirit.
"Every morning he would come in my office and he would just say something off the wall and then he would fist bump me and say 'see you next time girl,'" Eskridge said.
Zoneton Fire Department worked on a couple of runs with him and said the bond between any first responder is huge.
"Show our support to them and the family to let them know we are thinking about them and hoping for a very quick recovery and we want to see him back on another scene very soon," Rich Carlson with the department said.
He was immediately placed in the ICU; they are hoping for a remarkable recovery and that this will make him smile when he sees it.
"If and when he wakes up this is going to, we're praying that he does wake up, when he sees this, this is just going to melt his heart," Estes said.
At this time, Bullitt County EMS said his family and the department are needing prayers as he goes through recovery.
If you want to help, you can donate here.
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