Most of you don't know me as I don't post much, even though I'm here just about everyday. But those who do know I'm friends with Al - PuffStuff. As you may have also noticed, he has not been around much for the last couple of weeks. This is due to some really poor service from his internet provider. Trust me, he is not happy about not being able to be here on a daily basis.
Other than the update, I wanted to tell you guys about Al. This past Friday night, after working his normal 12 hour shift, he and I and another customer were getting ready to lock up the store. As we approached the door, there was a horendous crash right in front of his shop. Al took off like a shot, while the vehicles involved were still in motion, and was the first to arrive at the seen. A Jeep Cherokee with four teenagers inside had attempted to turn left into another business. Unfortunately for them they did not see an 18 wheeler. The truck had slammed into the passenger side of the SUV, flipping it up on its side and sent it skidding down a four lane highway.
Al got there as the Jeep stopped and jumped up on it to try to extract anyone who needed help. There was a passenger in the rear who he was able to help out to some others now standing around. The other rear seat passenger was trapped with some serious looking injury (turned out to be multiple fractures and a broken hip), the front seat passenger was strapped in and unconcious, severely injured. The driver was alert, but in shock and unable to extracate himself from under the weight of the passenger. The passenger was bleeding severely, to the point that the driver was choking as he couldn't move. Al takes off his shirt and attempts to put pressure on the wounds and stem the bleeding, while hanging down into the vehicle and at the same time, talking to the driver to keep him calm and distracting him. He maintained this through three more shirts until just as the first officer arrived, the passenger quit breathing. Paramedics were the next to arrive and went into action, but could do little until minutes later when the rescue trucks arrived with all of their equipment and started cutting the kids out of the Jeep.
Now, at this point, the experts were doing what they do (and very well I might add) and we all walked back over to the shop. At this point I noticed Al was completely covered in blood so we convnced him to go get cleaned up. While he did, we stood outside and talked. When the shop door opened, what do we see? Al has a box of bottled water and is taking it over to the emergency workers, to make sure they don't get dehydrated.
I've always said that you will never know how you'll react to any situation unless you are trained to do so or put into that situation. I can tell you, things would have been a lot worse had it not been for Al and his disregard for his own safety. No one else reacted the way he did.
A little later, an officer who is a good friend of ours came over to talk to us, he informed us that the 17 year old passenger didn't make it. It was only then that you could see any affect on Al and he was shaken. He tried to do everything he could but it just was not meant to be. If you have a minute, give him a call. He is taking this hard and could use a word of support.
He's probably gonna be pissed that I wrote this, but I thought you all should know, we have a hero in our midst. At least in my eyes and the way I saw it all play out. Thanks Al.
edited to take AVB's advice.
Other than the update, I wanted to tell you guys about Al. This past Friday night, after working his normal 12 hour shift, he and I and another customer were getting ready to lock up the store. As we approached the door, there was a horendous crash right in front of his shop. Al took off like a shot, while the vehicles involved were still in motion, and was the first to arrive at the seen. A Jeep Cherokee with four teenagers inside had attempted to turn left into another business. Unfortunately for them they did not see an 18 wheeler. The truck had slammed into the passenger side of the SUV, flipping it up on its side and sent it skidding down a four lane highway.
Al got there as the Jeep stopped and jumped up on it to try to extract anyone who needed help. There was a passenger in the rear who he was able to help out to some others now standing around. The other rear seat passenger was trapped with some serious looking injury (turned out to be multiple fractures and a broken hip), the front seat passenger was strapped in and unconcious, severely injured. The driver was alert, but in shock and unable to extracate himself from under the weight of the passenger. The passenger was bleeding severely, to the point that the driver was choking as he couldn't move. Al takes off his shirt and attempts to put pressure on the wounds and stem the bleeding, while hanging down into the vehicle and at the same time, talking to the driver to keep him calm and distracting him. He maintained this through three more shirts until just as the first officer arrived, the passenger quit breathing. Paramedics were the next to arrive and went into action, but could do little until minutes later when the rescue trucks arrived with all of their equipment and started cutting the kids out of the Jeep.
Now, at this point, the experts were doing what they do (and very well I might add) and we all walked back over to the shop. At this point I noticed Al was completely covered in blood so we convnced him to go get cleaned up. While he did, we stood outside and talked. When the shop door opened, what do we see? Al has a box of bottled water and is taking it over to the emergency workers, to make sure they don't get dehydrated.
I've always said that you will never know how you'll react to any situation unless you are trained to do so or put into that situation. I can tell you, things would have been a lot worse had it not been for Al and his disregard for his own safety. No one else reacted the way he did.
A little later, an officer who is a good friend of ours came over to talk to us, he informed us that the 17 year old passenger didn't make it. It was only then that you could see any affect on Al and he was shaken. He tried to do everything he could but it just was not meant to be. If you have a minute, give him a call. He is taking this hard and could use a word of support.
He's probably gonna be pissed that I wrote this, but I thought you all should know, we have a hero in our midst. At least in my eyes and the way I saw it all play out. Thanks Al.
edited to take AVB's advice.
