Dear loves,
I attended a memorial service for 59 emergency medical service providers this weekend, all of whom died in the line of service.
I noticed through their individual tributes that they were unified not just by their profession, but more so, their priorities: they loved their families, they were deeply connected to their communities, and they were driven to serve others.
The memorial reflected their priorities, too. Colleagues in dress uniforms stood alongside families and friends as they honored those who died while serving others. Bagpipes and the Honor Guard led us in and guided us out. Amazing Grace was followed by Taps.
I hadn’t thought a lot about the role of EMTs and paramedics until yesterday. I’ve known people who became EMTs as a pre-cursor to studying pre-med or applying for medical school. And then I thought about all of the times my family has been helped by paramedics who have responded to our 9-1-1 calls.
When a dresser fell onto my nephew, EMTs were there in minutes and determined if he needed to go to the hospital.
When my son was in a car accident, firefighter-EMTs were first on the scene.
And when my daughter had appendicitis, paramedics transported her from the local hospital to a children’s hospital for surgery.
I realize that until yesterday, I had been thinking of EMS providers as intermediaries, as transitions between one place and another, both physical and conceptual, without seeing the wholeness of the space in which they serve.
It’s in this liminal space–the uncomfortable space between what was and what will be–where emergency medical services providers live and serve.
In the scariest moments, when time freezes, or moves too fast, emergency service providers show up. It’s because of EMTs that many people even have a chance at surviving. It’s also thanks to EMTs that people aren’t alone in a crisis. When we call 9-1-1, these people show up, and show up quickly, making all of the difference. They show up without judgment, helping anyone in need, regardless of how they got there. These are the people who save lives.
This is where they shine, and sometimes, in the line of service, they die.
I’m so grateful to now see that, and wish it hadn’t taken so long. That’s the power of a memorial service. It’s when you realize what was in front of you all along.
With great love for your lives, especially those called to serve us in our hardest moments, and their families,
kristin