When Melissa Ann Work’s husband, Gene, had a heart attack while laying sod, Melissa’s first concern was for his health. This was her nightmare, and there was nothing she could do to ensure her husband would make it through this painful ordeal. What would life be like without him?
Thankfully, a handful of quick-thinking first responders were there to support Gene through his medical episode and rush him to the hospital. Without their help, Melissa knows that she might have lost her husband that blistering summer afternoon.
The entire Work family was forever indebted to the first responders for saving Gene’s life – but it’s what they did after speeding Gene to the hospital that’s gaining a ton of attention online.
After getting her husband back from the hospital, Melissa took to Facebook to share what happened with her home, thanks to the same group of first responders who saved his life.
She wrote:
“I don’t know how to start this, but PLEASE read and PLEASE PLEASE share!!!!!
Before my husband had his massive heart attack, he was working on the sod with my amazing brother-in-law. That is what triggered and set it off. We had just received our last four pallets and were going to finish it. It’s been my husband’s biggest stress as our HOA date to fine us a huge amount was getting closer.
While he was having his heart attack, literally in and out of consciousness, he kept begging me to figure out the sod and have it put down because he didn’t want it to go to waste and die. It’s ALL he kept asking about literally during a massive heart attack. LOL.
I calmed him and kept saying, ‘Jesus will help us. It’s ok. Jesus will figure this out, babe.'”
“We were sent off to the hospital and my incredible brother-in-law (who witnessed the heart attack) stayed back with my 2-year-old niece. He was planning on staying there by himself until midnight to get it finished.
He finished getting the old grass out and then began laying a few rows of the new sod.
As he was laying it, he heard huge trucks driving back down the road. He turned around and saw the fire truck and ambulance had come back. He was confused and thought they were coming to check on him.
Before he knows it, seven firefighters and EMT’s jumped out, put on gloves and said they came back because they knew Gene was in serious trouble and they wanted to lay the new sod so it didn’t die. They knew he wouldn’t be able to do any work for weeks so they came back.”
Not only did these men save Gene’s life, but they also took time out of their insane schedule to save their grass. Now Gene can sit back, heal, and watch his beautiful new grass grow.
“They came back! They saved his life, dropped him off and then cared enough to save our GRASS!
They didn’t know our HOA was going to fine us.
They didn’t know that this guy’s wife (me) is about to fight for my own life during my bone marrow transplant next month.
They didn’t know that my husband pawned his favorite gun to pay for the sod that he thought was going to die.
They didn’t know all we have been through as a little family.
They simply saw someone in need, something in need and did this for us. This wasn’t in their job description.
We have no words. Just sobbing.
PLEASE help us get these men honored! PLEASE help us find them so we can thank them!”
Melissa did her best to find the men whose she’s convinced are her guardian angels – but to no avail. That’s when she turned to the Internet for help. And boy, did it deliver!
Within days of posting her story online, Melissa was able to hound down the group of men who saved her husband’s life and her lawn! After meeting up with the men at their local fire station, Melissa took to Facebook a second time to share her update.
She gushed:
“You guys. We did it!
They were honored. The world knows about them.
We got to meet our heroes. We love them so much. They are now family. They saved his life and his sod. We can never repay them. They feel so loved by y’all. Keep it coming.
Our hearts are so full.
Captain paramedic Boyd Marshall. Driver paramedic Dave Schaffer. Firefighter Paramedic Jason Freiesleben. Firefighter Paramedic Robert Gerstner. Firefighter Paramedic Tyler Romanowski. Firefighter EMT Logan Campbell.”
These names are ones we should remember. They didn’t have to go above and beyond to help the Works – but they did without thinking twice.
This may seem like a random act of kindness, but it’s what first responders do by nature. They would rather give the shirt off of their back than watch a single person go cold. We thank all first responders for their service!
