The Hero Calls
Jim Niemiec
(Terri Marie) with my two favorite people, Jim and Brooke
The Hero Calls
We never know when the hero is going to make a call. Are you ready?
My daughter usually calls me when she is driving back from California.
But it was Sunday night and no call. I figured Brooke was tired from
a long weekend of a lot of driving and going to the hospital to visit her
husband's mother who just had surgery.
In the morning I got the call from Brooke and found out if was the hero
who had called the evening before. Brooke told me, "Mom I have one
more reason I'm glad I married Jim. He just saved someone's life."
She told me the story.
They were driving back from Fallbrook, California on the I-15
when a Ford Explorer passed them on the right.
Jim watched as the driver lost controland rolled his vehicle
off the freeway. It landed upside down.
Jim immediately stopped and ran over along with two other men.
The drivers' fourteen-year old daughter was also in the car.
Somehow she managed to get herself out.
Brooke could hear her crying.
Jim and the other two men accessed the situation. Jim had
training from the Army. One of the others had worked in a
hospital The driver was pinned upside down. Jim ran back
to the car to get water. The seat beltthat probably saved
the drivers' life was now choking himand he couldn't breath.
The driver's head was at a 90 degreeangle pressed against
the roof. Once Jim and the othersconfirmed that the man
could still move his toes, they gentlylifted him down
onto the inside roof of the car. It was thenthat Jim saw
that the driver had a massive head wound. They needed
to stop the bleeding right away. Jim ran back
to the car again and got a blanket and some towels which
he wrapped around the man's head to slow down the blood loss.
Then Jim did the most heroic thing of all. He got inside the
vehicle, laid next to the man, took the driver's hand and told him
to squeeze his hand to let Jim know he understood him.
Jim told the driver that he too, had rolled his vehicle up on
the I-5 and survived. He told the driver that he was going
to make it. The driver squeezed his hand. Over and over
Jim kept talking and encouraging the man to remain as
alert and conscious as he could.
The driver kept squeezing Jim's hand.
Even in the days of cell phones, it took the police 20 minutes
to get to the scene to divert traffic. It took the ambulance
over 30 minutes. Jim stayed talking and reassuring the driver.
"You're going to be okay," Jim said. The squeezes continued
as the man connected to the lifeline Jim was offering to him.
My son-in-law is a very calm, self-assured young man who
I am very proud of. When times demand a strong and
selfless character, one finds out what is really inside
the person. Jim is a hero. The heroic opportunity arose.
Jim rose to the challenge.
That day Jim showed his true character. He gave what
was needed as a hero would: Unconditional service and
love to a man who would have died without it.
In a time when some people are complaining about the
youth of our country, I have this to say. "America is in good hands,"
thanks to people like Jim and the other fellows who gave
of themselves to save and comfort someone is in desperate need.
Hurray for the young heroes of America.
That is Jim. A hero.
Live like a hero.
The Hero is calling.
Are you ready?
Remember who you are!
Terri Marie
Copyright 2009 White Wing Entertainment
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LESSONS OF THE HERO CALL
1. Be Prepared.
Jim always travels with towels, blankets, water, and money.
I’m sure someone could have improvised without a towel to
stop the bleeding, or a blanket to keep the driver warm,
but this made it much easier. By the way, the money was
spent on buying some new clothes when Jim stopped at a
store to wash off.
2. Remain Calm.
The only way you can help someone in a dire situation
is to think. Access the situation and take things
one step at a time. Prioritize needs. The seat belt needed to
come off the man first. Then the bleeding needed to be stopped.
Then he needed the encouragement to hang on until he could
get to the hospital. That takes calmness and thinking.
3. Focus.
There is a complete focus in the heroic act. Attention and
energy is given to the situation of the best ways to increase
survival. A laser-like focus to do the best thing is what is needed.
There was no thought of normal concerns like
getting home or the inconvenience of the time this took.
It was all a mute point when it comes down to the
bluntness of life.
4. Connect.
Equally as important as removing the seatbelt and stopping
the bleeding was the connection Jim gave to this man.
Jim gave the wounded man his attention, energy,
and compassion.
5. Be Willing to Take a Selfless Risk to Help.
Jim told my daughter Brooke to stay in the car for various
reasons. But Brooke was concerned watching this unfold
that the vehicle might explode. She had to trust that Jim
knew what he was doing and would probably be able to
tell if that was a possibility. When the hero calls, the
hero does what needs to be done regardless of risk.
It is a total giving of oneself to help sustain the
life of another.
That is Jim. A hero.
Live like a hero.
Terri Marie
posted by Terri Marie at 10:45 AM
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