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Hero of the Week: EMT starts career at 52, inspires others

Rather than retiring, former Air Force reservist and highway patrol trooper Don Hennessy became an EMT

Many in public service are thinking about retirement at age 52. But not Don Hennessy.

After 25 years in the Air Force Reserves and 27 years as an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, he decided to join EMSA in Oklahoma to start a new career as an EMT.

He earned the Top Gun award by graduating at the top of his class in the academy, and is now working in the field. He told News9

“Yeah, there’s a little bit of adrenaline involved in it,” he said. His plan is to wean himself off of the rush in EMS, do some teaching, then truly enjoy his golden years “when and if I actually decide that I really am that old.”

Seeing someone of his age in the academy inspired the rest of the class, and now on the job people joke around and call him ‘dad.’

Well, we’re calling him our EMS1 Hero of the Week.

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