Anonymous customer pays bill for Iowa medic crew
Returning from a memorial service for three of their fallen colleagues, they stopped at an Applebee's for dinner
By Dorrine Mendoza
CNN
MASON CITY, Iowa — At the start of the evening dinner rush on January 10, a group of 13 is seated at an Applebee's in Mason City, Iowa. Their waitress is new. She is nervous. She has never served a big group before but after a little reassurance she is ready.
The napkin left behind by an anonymous customer who paid for the medics' meals
The 13 men and women, ages 25-60, are dressed in flight suits from University of Iowa AirCare. They have just attended a memorial service for three colleagues killed in a medical helicopter crash on January 2 and have stopped for dinner before the long drive home. Dr. Azeem Ahmed, medical director of the University of Iowa AirCare program, said the deaths had hit the Northern Iowa emergency responder community hard.
Russ Piehl and Shelly Lair-Langenbau, along with pilot Gene Grell, were killed just minutes after climbing into a Mercy Medical Center North helicopter to pick up a patient. Although the cause of the crash is not known, the Des Moines Register reports the helicopter hit the ground and burst into flames just 15 miles away from the hospital from where it had been dispatched. Radio Iowa said Grell was looking forward to being a "husband in the near future." The paper described paramedic Piehl as a dedicated professional with a sense of humor. Nurse Lair-Langenbau was described by WHOtv.com as a "hell of a nurse" and dedicated mother to her two young daughters.
More than 1,000 people including emergency responders, members of the public and family attended the service.
"It was somber, but uplifting," Ahmed said. "It helped us all with the healing process."
As the group finished their meals their waitress told Ahmed their bill will be "very small."
"What do you mean?" Ahmed asked.
The waitress handed the doctor a folder. Inside was a note on a napkin, written in capital letters.
"For all you do and in memory of your team mates ... This meal is on us."
Ahmed said after reading the note he stood up and addressed the group, explaining what had just happened. Then he passed it around. Some had tears in their eyes. "We were very moved and humbled," said Ahmed. "We were overwhelmed."
Jennifer Allen, Applebee's associate manager, said the entire staff was overwhelmed, "in a good way." On the drive home Ahmed said the conversation naturally gravitated toward the note. Each person, Ahmed said, committed to paying the good deed forward.
Ahmed posted a photo of the note and a short caption to his Facebook page and on the Facebook page for University of Iowa AirCare. It received more than 2,000 shares, 12,000 likes and 500 comments. When asked why he shared it he said there were three reasons.
First, he wanted to recognize the person, who wished to remain anonymous, in some way for her or his kindness.
Second, he wanted to let emergency responders know what they do makes a difference and for them to feel the same support.
Third, he wanted to honor those who died by motivating others to pay it forward. "It's motivation for myself and everyone who sees it to do something similar," Ahmed said. "In the end, the people who died, this is the best way to honor them."
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Erin Curcio Tuesday, January 15, 2013 5:16:16 PM So sweet. Its things like this that help us know what we do every day is worth it! 
Pamela Jones Tuesday, January 15, 2013 5:51:42 PM There is good people in this world. I'm an ER nurse and it makes all the crappy nights worth it when someone acknowledges your effort. 
Donna Graham Hammond Tuesday, January 15, 2013 6:38:55 PM How sweet, there are good people, but what a great thank you! Prayers... 
Frank Cantone Tuesday, January 15, 2013 9:28:37 PM What bullshit, we have a thank less job and it takes a copter to crash for people to recognize us. Even our supervisors treat us like crap. 
Bill O'Brien Wednesday, January 16, 2013 5:31:54 AM One must ask, did we get in this profession to be constantly thanked? If so, then we have picked the wrong one. Personally, I take satisfaction in not only helping others but in a job well done. Do you thank your sanitation worker, the highway worker or dare I say it, a teacher? This random act of kindness is not BS. Clearly the person who paid this bill felt the need to do something to show appreciation and respect. I am inspired by this and will look for my own opportunity to pay it forward. Our Jewish brethren use the term Mitzvah which loosely interpreted means "to express an act of human kindness". It is an amazing concept that I wish more embrace.
As a fellow flight crew member I know that it is a sobering fact that when there is a tragic event in the air medical sevice, it is always dramatic. Lets take the time to remember the many other EMTs and paramedics who have lost their lives during the performance of their duties. And lastly be safe at all times. 
Russell Eaton Tuesday, January 15, 2013 9:45:04 PM I have been in the fire service for almost 35 years and I have never seen any thing like this, At times it seems like it is a thankless job but when you read about something like this it makes you feel good like there is some folks do care. I had to give up the fire service a little early for health reasons or I would be still doing it if nothing else it makes you feel good inside knowing you help people when they was in need. I realy do miss it alot. 
Melinda Teaster Williams Wednesday, January 16, 2013 7:20:08 AM I have had this happen before, and it seemed to be after 2 really bad /hard calls that made you wonder why you even do this job. I come from a small town work for a rural EMS service, but one of the times I had a meal purchased for me I was not even in my county of even the same state just grabbing a meal after an out of county Transport, We had a couple come up and tell us that they wanted to buy our meal for all we do, I explained to him that was very nice but we are not really from this area then women touched me on the shoulder and neither are we but we know how hard you folks work and just wanted say thank you. Not that this is what this job is about at all, but sometimes its nice to know that what we do matters to the public. 
Dale Kerr Saturday, March 02, 2013 9:26:21 PM I can understand what kind of work these people do after they saved my life as well.I was crushed by a drunk driver along skullfork rd in eastern guernsey county on july 20th 2007 and was life flighted to ohio state univasty hospital, they have a little mini hospital inside of them helocopters and they took excellent care of me.I know what its like to be life flighted, and the work they do to save lives, I want to thank all life meds for the work they do, the lives they save, and the support they deserve, Thank you all for your help, I still cannot walk was crushed and left to die with 64 broken bones, and if not for the life flight I would have died...God Bless you all, Thank you... 
