SYMMES TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Paramedics at the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department say they’ll never forget April 1 because of what happened Thursday and what occurred two years ago.
A man they rescued from a horrific truck accident on April 1 two years ago came to their firehouse to say “thank you” for saving his life.
Paramedics at Firehouse 61 say because of privacy laws and the pace of their jobs, they could work an entire 20 to 30-year career and never meet the people they have saved.
That changed on Thursday when Robert Clopton Jr. showed up at the firehouse to thank the paramedics and show how far he’s come since his almost fatal accident.
He’s still in weekly rehabilitation and therapy since being crushed by a truck.
Clopton was a manager at a Tire Discounters store on Fields-Ertel Road when a driver backed a delivery truck into him. He was pinned between the back of the truck and a metal door. Fifteen paramedics and firefighters from the Loveland-Symmes department worked together to rescue Clopton. He was transported to University Hospital where he was in critical condition and intensive care for several days.
“I want to say thank you very much to all of you who worked to saved my life two years ago, including the helicopter service, everyone,” said Clopton.
“We feel the same. We are honored that someone would take the time to come up and thank us for the work that we’ve done. We help treat or rescue hundreds of people every year, and we rarely ever find out how they are doing... This was a tragic situation and a remarkable outcome,” said Deputy Chief Brian Dowers.
The fire department is also sending Clopton’s thank you along to the Air Care crew and the staff at University Hospital who helped save Clopton’s life.
The following people worked together to save Clopton’s life on April 1, 2008: Chief Otto Huber, Assistant Chief Tom Turner, District Chief Harold Gregory, Deputy Chief Brian Dowers, Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, Lieutenant Steve Money, firefighter paramedic Rick Dunn, firefighter paramedic Wes Dendler, firefighter paramedic Brian Dutlinger, firefighter EMT Jim Polce, firefighter paramedic Andy Huber and firefighter paramedic Clay Morton.
Clopton says with the help of his sister and father, he is now close to being able to go back to work. That’s something he wondered if he’d ever be able to do after sustaining such critical, life-threatening injuries.
Republished with permission from kypost.com