It Could Have Been One Of Us

[SGT Dave]

I put this here, since he's not LE, but I thought this deserved mentioning.

The news story doesn't tell this, but his legs were both crushed, and he'll probably lose both of them, per the grapevine ("Grapevine" is somewhere between rumor and personal knowledge.)

Paramedic Remains In Critical Condition

POSTED: 4:41 p.m. EST January 23, 2003
UPDATED: 4:03 p.m. EST January 24, 2003

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- A Mecklenburg County paramedic remained in critical condition Friday after a chain-reaction wreck on Interstate 77 severed his legs, authorities said.

The paramedic, Tim Hayes, was helping victims of a weather-related wreck Thursday afternoon near Davidson when the accident occured, authorities said.

Hayes' partner, on the shoulder of the southbound lane, saw what looked like an out-of-control tractor-trailer headed toward them, officials said.

The tractor-trailer slammed into his ambulance, which then hit a Jeep, which pushed Hayes against the guardrail, said Paige Sheehan, a spokeswoman for the Mecklenburg EMS Agency.

At least six cars were involved in the incident.

The emergency worker was taken to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, then flown to Carolinas Medical Center.

Hayes remains in critical condition Friday, a hospital spokeswoman said. Sheehan said no one else was seriously hurt.

Hayes, a paramedic crew chief, has been employed by the agency for seven years, officials said. He is married and the father of four children.

The driver of the tractor-trailer that started the wreck, identified by Highway Patrol officials as Robert Melvin Alexander, 37, of Palmetto, Fla., was charged with failure to reduce speed.

Counselors were made available to emergency responders. Sheehan said the ambulance's lights were flashing when it was struck.

In response to the overwhelming community support for Paramedic Tim Hayes, a fund has been established in his name at Bank of America.

Contributions to Tim and his family may be made to the following:

Tim Hayes Fund
C/O Bank of America
P.O. Box 651658
Charlotte, NC 28265

[ 01-24-2003, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: SGT Dave ]

[Blue Leader]

We had something similar happen to an officer of ours in 1994. The officer was on a traffic stop on the right shoulder of the freeway. They were working graveyards and it was about 11 pm. A drunk driver (an orthopedic surgeon) swerved across 4 lanes of traffic and plowed into their police vehicle (a fullsize Ford Bronco). The Bronco was hit so hard, it was pushed into the citizen's vehicle that had been stopped. The officer was between the citizens vehicle and the guardrail. The officers leg was crushed and severed as he was spun around along the guardrail.

He lost his left leg right below the knee. Luckily (if you want to call it that), he was thit by a doctor with TONS of insurance. the officer got the best treatment and ultra futuristic prostethics (sp?) that enables him to do whatever he wants nowadays.

[Blue Leader]

And a 2nd officer as well...

Thsi officer was originally on our Mounted Police Unit in the early 1990's and recieved a bizarre head injury when he was thrown from the horse. He was retired due to the injury but wanted to be a cop so bad he re-habbed and came back to full duty about 2 years later.

In 1997 or 1998, he was working on the DUI team and was investigating a DUI related accident. he went to get something out of the trunk of his Crown Vic and as he was leaning over, another drunk driver (female school teacher) plowed into his car...pinning his legs between the bumpers. He lost his right leg at about the knee.

Does he retire? NO!!!! He ra-habbed again and has been back to full duty for about 4 years.

[PelicanDriver]

Talk about a never quit attitude! He can be my backup anytime.

[wonderwoman]

I can't stress enough how much an attitute has to do with the healing process. Its been proven again and again. Good for them, and Dave I sure hope things go well for Tim.

[dkiefner]

Check is on the way. How about it, Ocom gang?

Even a few bucks from a lot of people makes a huge difference. I bet you could even stop by your local BOA branch with that info, and they could do it right there.

K and I are praying for him and his family.

[Piper]

Check going out Monday morning.

My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

[SGT Dave]

*********UPDATE***********

I'm glad to see that his spirits are not "crushed." I'd probably be in a permanent "pity party."

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/1967486/detail.html

Injured Paramedic Offers Thanks

POSTED: 11:14 a.m. February 10, 2003

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

A Charlotte paramedic who lost his legs during an accident in December is saying thank you to the people who helped him through the ordeal.

Tim Hayes and his wife held a news conference at Carolinas Medical Center Monday morning.

Some of his doctors were there to support him.

Hayes was responding to a snowstorm-related accident in Davidson on I-77 when the accident happened.

He was helping a stranded motorist when a truck lost control, hit the ambulance and pinned Hayes against the guardrail.

Since then there have been several fundraisers for the Tim Hayes fund.

People have donated tens of thousands of dollars.

When asked how he gets through this ordeal, Tim Hayes said "You heal on a day to day basis."

He went on to say, "There's no what if's. You have to live life like you're going to."

Even after a horrible traffic accident turned Tim Hayes from paramedic to patient, he remained true to his calling, talking his partner through his treatment.

"I think I helped him take care of myself," Hayes said Monday, meeting with reporters for the first time since the Jan. 23 accident that cost Hayes both his legs.

Partner Bobby Suarez, sitting next to Hayes at Carolinas Medical Center, agreed. "After the impact, Tim was fully conscious," he said. "I was telling him about the treatment, he was saying, 'Yeah, I think you need to do that, I think you need to do this."' Hayes, who uses a wheelchair, said he expected to go home from the hospital Tuesday or Wednesday. Within weeks, doctors overseeing his rehabilitation hope to fit him with a pair of prosthetic legs.

Hayes expressed awe and gratitude at the international outpouring of support in the aftermath of his accident. He and his family have received cards and e-mails from as far away as Australia, and more than $260,000 has been donated to help defray his medical expenses.

"It's just been wonderful to have the community come together the way they've come together," Hayes said.

[ 02-10-2003, 05:52 PM: Message edited by: SGT Dave ]