On early Thursday morning, my Dad died suddenly of a massive heart attack. He was 56 years old. He got up earlier than usual (~3:15am as opposed to 3:30am), and told my Mom that he was going to go take his bath. Around 3:45, she woke up, realizing that the tub water had never been shut off. She found him in the tub, unconscious, not breathing and with out a pulse.
I had the mixed privilege of being the first medic on the scene (I live about 2 minutes up the road). The fire chief and I were able to get him out of the tub (no small feat, he was 5'10 and 325lbs), on to the floor, and start interventions within about 4 minutes of my Mom's initial 911 call. Unfortunately, our attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced at 4:20am.
It is really an odd struggle for me. I have not gotten along with him, nor really spoken to him since I left home at 16. He was a severe alcoholic, and treated most everyone, particularly me, badly. Yet, as I was doing everything in my training to revive him, I couldn't help but want him to get better. I guess I always had a hope that he would straighten his life out and become the Dad I never had. My Mom, sister and Grandpa are taking the loss the worst; especially grandpa. At 89, I think he really didn't expect to outlive his only child.
At any rate, I ask that you keep my family in your prayers as we try to cope with yet another ration of trouble this year. 2006 has been unusually bad; I can only hope that things ease up from here on out, and that God would grant us the strength to pull through this mess intact.
Brian
I had the mixed privilege of being the first medic on the scene (I live about 2 minutes up the road). The fire chief and I were able to get him out of the tub (no small feat, he was 5'10 and 325lbs), on to the floor, and start interventions within about 4 minutes of my Mom's initial 911 call. Unfortunately, our attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced at 4:20am.
It is really an odd struggle for me. I have not gotten along with him, nor really spoken to him since I left home at 16. He was a severe alcoholic, and treated most everyone, particularly me, badly. Yet, as I was doing everything in my training to revive him, I couldn't help but want him to get better. I guess I always had a hope that he would straighten his life out and become the Dad I never had. My Mom, sister and Grandpa are taking the loss the worst; especially grandpa. At 89, I think he really didn't expect to outlive his only child.
At any rate, I ask that you keep my family in your prayers as we try to cope with yet another ration of trouble this year. 2006 has been unusually bad; I can only hope that things ease up from here on out, and that God would grant us the strength to pull through this mess intact.
Brian
