a complet stranger.. died in my arms today at 10:15am

[itsalifeworthliving]

while working on a roof today i saw a guy mowing his lawn. while handing the metal roofing up on the third story of the scaffolding i heard the lawn mower turn off, and for some reason turned around and saw a guy just drop to the floor. i looked up at the kid who was with me and his eyes were boldging out of his head. we didnt say one word. just dropped our tool belts and ran down the scafolding and accross the street to this little back yard. it looked like he was breathing but kinda shaking and i was already on the phone with 911. i picked up his head and my helper ran to get the address off the front of the house. i didnt know what to do, i just kept talking to him and he just kept stairing at me. i thought he was breathing. his chest was moving up and down. but he wasn't. i notice couse after bout 1 minute he let out this sigh of a breath. is eyes watered up and he was no longer looking at me. just into space.. that was his last breath. i dont know cpr, but i dropped the phone and started pushing on his chest. i dont remember much but the ems FINALLY showed up and took over. his wife came outside and just thought he fell or something. me and jaime went back to the truck and sat there for a few minutes. we noticed that the ambulance that they put him in never left. just sat there. finally one of the ems guys came out and walked up to the wife and told him he died.. she instantly lost it and started screaming. his name was robert and he was a healthy 47yr old guy. he was mowing the lawn for a family bar-b-q on saturday.. i can't help but think that if i started or new more about cpr, maybe he would have lived.. he was stairing right at me when he took his last breath.. i dont under stand.. i wonder what kind of life he had, and what kind of person he was.. his black ford tourus has an "i love jesus" bumper sticker on it.. just reminds me why I'm not a "believer".. on our lunch break, jamie went over and finish mowing the lawn.. i notice that he was crying and coudnt help tearing up my self.. it was hard to finish our day.. it was very quiet and we both kept stairing down at the house... lost for words..

 

[Hunter]

I feel for you, I've seen men die knowing there is nothing that could be done to save them from what is coming. All I can tell you is just be thankful that you were there in his last minutes to be with him and he was not alone.

 

[HeartBreak]

Not many people drop everything and run to a complete strangers' aide. That in and of itself makes you and your co-worker great guys. Never forget that.

The fact that your co-worker finished mowing the lawn for the guys' wife. I have no words to express it properly, other than to say that was something no one would expect of anyone in such a situation, and he did a great act of kindness.

I wish the world had more people in it with your ethics.

 

[abadk9420]

I can't say I know how you feel because I have never had that happen to me, but at least you did what you could it is alot more then most people would do, hats off to you for getting envolved and at least trying...

 

[Bryson]

You are truly a great person! I think its a great thing u and ur buddy did. Talk about thinking fast. I guess this is why they say, "live life to the fullest".

Bryson

 

[Karl M]

I have had some training in first aid and CPR, I have never had the need to use it. There are a lot of people who do have some knowledge but are too afraid, or in shock to act. Anything you did, or tried to do, is more than most. I'm sorry it turned that way for you, but you proved your compasion, that makes you a hero.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

You shouldn't be feeling guilty. What you did was a great thing in itself, and you never know how much of a difference you made and didn't even realize it. The fact that you dropped what you were doing and ran over there, just having someone hold him could have put that man in a state of peace as he died.

As for not being a believer, I think we should look at the fact that the man being a Christian could have affected his entire life, not just his death. Instead of just seeing the negative, you also have to consider that the man could have had a full, rich life with all the blessings that make a person happy, and it could have been his turn to move on to the next phase in his life, whatevber that might be. I lost my Dad a few years ago and of course my response was "why would you take my Dad after all that we've tried to do for other people". But then I realized it, I had a better relationship with my Dad for 17 years than most people have in their entire lives. I had been more than blessed and it was time for Dad to move on to a better place. I guess it just depends on your outlook. Whatever the case, what you did was a good thing, and good things always come back around.

 

[marauder]

Wow, really don't know what to say other than that guy was probably glad someone could be there for him. It seems like every male role model in my life has died an unexpected death. People I have wanted to see, only to find out after a short phone call..."Well Dustin, I'd love for you to meet him but he passed away last year." It's those kind of things that make you really take a step back and ask if you are really doing in life what you want to do.

At least he died doing what most men like to do, and that is taking care of things around the house. If he is like most, he probably enjoyed his lawn work. It's hard to say, but it really hurts to read things like this because we have all been there one way or another.

 

[jon2]

Its not your fault that you are not trained at CPR. Many are not. You saw a man in need and your immediate response was to go to him and check if he was ok. This thing called life is very short and things will come at you that you don't expect. How do you make yourself ready enough to receive them? ...that is another discussion.

Don't beat yourself up for it but rather be thankful of what you have.

 

[Cupooterluvr]

Don't feel bad or anything. You did the best you could.

 

[Rolex]

It's an extremely traumatic experience you went through today, and it's something you'll never forget. I've been there, and more than 20 years later, it's still crystal clear.
Knowing CPR might not have helped in his case, since people die in emergency rooms surrounded by experts with all the new equipment, so don't even think like that. Just being there comforted him.
Having read a previous post by you, itsalifeworthliving, tells me you're now in a position to appreciate every day for what it is. We never know when we run out of time, no matter how good or bad our health may be.
Enjoy the day to the fullest, it's worth living.

 

[Nubster]

You did great in what you DID do. Don't get down about what you couldn't do. I am a firefighter/EMT so I see stuff like this all the time and it never gets easier. There are not too many people like you and your friend. We need more people like you and maybe the world would be a little better place.

 

[NoobTC3]

I'd have to agree with Nubster. Unfortunately like him I see this all the time. I'm an EMT as well and work on a critical care truck. What you did for him you will probably never know. I'm guessing from what it sounds like, he might have had a stroke which caused him to seize, and probably knocked out his respiratory system, or his tongue could've rolled back and blocked his airway.

The point is that you took time out of your life which Nub is right, to few do, and so many drive by accidents and just look, they don't think someone could be hurt there, they just look and keep driving. You were probably a comfort to him, that anyone was around to hold that man for his last few minutes. I just wish there were more people like you. I use to not believe as well, thinking these are good people why should they go, and maybe that's why, because someone else needs them now. I won't give you details you don't want to hear, most won't sleep if I told you everything, but I've watched and had to code someone go through complete system failures. No matter all the technology, I think there is a god, and only because technology has boosted life expectancy now into the 80's it seems,and sometimes no matter how much you have or what you do, it's their time. So thank you for being with this man, when it was his time, you let someone go out with peace of mind,just to know someone could be there for him. Never beat yourself up over what you do and don't know, doctors have years of schooling and still manage to loose or kill patients all the time. So knowledge won't change that game. Just make sure that god forbid it ever happens again, don't think about what you do or don't know, just help however you can.

 

[itsalifeworthliving]

hey guys... thanxs for all the great words.. i didnt realize that any body would even look at this! thanx again!! jason

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Not many people drop everything and run to a complete strangers' aide. That in and of itself makes you and your co-worker great guys. Never forget that.

The fact that your co-worker finished mowing the lawn for the guys' wife. I have no words to express it properly, other than to say that was something no one would expect of anyone in such a situation, and he did a great act of kindness.

I wish the world had more people in it with your ethics.

Jason, I couldn't of summed it up better. The fact that you and your partner tried to help and that he even went back and finished the job speaks to the human spirit. I tip my hat to you, sir.