FB friends(part 5)

 This is a wide-ranging group...

I will start of with my friend Alli Walker. I met Alli when I was working at United, she has been a dispatcher for them for a little while now and she does a terrific job. Alli loves to make people happy and loves to make her puppers even happier. She occasionally brought her puppy to work with her, and that made my shift. I could take him for little walks and we were both happier after that. When Alli went to Germany she asked me if there was anything she could bring me from there. She was going to Oktoberfest and one thing I always wanted from there was a German farmer fest hat. Alli not only got me one, but she got me 2 different ones. When she was on a trip to Montana she brought me a coffee cup from a Starbucks there(she collects Starbucks cups). Both were sweet gestures and that shows the type of person Alli is. Alli has had some rough times in her life, but she gets up, dusts herself off, and keeps going. Alli and I talk all the time just to see how each other is doing and talk about what is going on in our lives. With both of us being in public safety we know what each other are sort of going through. I will be honest, I could never be a dispatcher like Alli. It takes a special person and she fits that bill. I am proud to call Alli my friend. 

Next up is a wild young lady named Amber Perkins. Amber and I were partners on a 911 ambulance in Savannah. Amber is wide open, she is super funny and she is awesome at her job. I never saw Amber ugly to anyone, but I have seen her make countless people laugh. My most memorable memory with Amber was when we were going to a double pediatric drowning and we were a backup unit. I was flying up the parkway, I looked down and the speedometer was around 90. I said out loud, "Holy crap, I'm doing 90 and I better slow down". Amber said, "There are 2 drowned babies, there is no speed limit". We finished that call, we talked about it and both went back to work. Amber is a strong-willed woman, and she is a wonderful mom to her boys. Amber is a hoot to be around and it was awesome to have her as a partner and friend. 

Now for a man among men, Eddie White. I worked with Eddie at Hunter, he was in the unit that I supported as a contractor. When you first met Eddie there were 2 things that you realized right off the bat. First, Eddie was a big dude. He was above average height and he was built like a tank. He had the broadest shoulders and legs like tree trunks. Eddie looked like the type of guy who you did not want to meet in a dark alley. Second, there was something special about Eddie. He was a soft-spoken man who had a way with people. Everyone respected Eddie, they came to him with issues both personal and professional and he would talk to that person and get them on the right path. The memory that sticks out most in my head was not necessarily a good one. I was on a call and after I dropped off my patient in the ER I headed back to my unit. I was walking through the hallway and I heard "Darrin" in a rather hoarse voice. I stopped in my tracks and really had to search for where it came from. All I could see was what looked like an older man but I didn't recognize him. On second glance and him calling my name, it hit me that it was Eddie. I knew that Eddie had been battling cancer, that he was doing better at one point and that I hadn't seen him in a while. Eddie was half the man that I had known him to be, but he still had that Eddie smile and he wanted to know how I was doing. That was Eddie, he cared about people. He was a very godly man, he cared for people and that was what set him apart from all of the other soldiers and men in that hanger. Eddie, you are definitely missed and I would love to see how many lives you have changed. Rest in peace my friend and enjoy glory. 

Next up is my friend Donna Zipperer. I met Donna when I went on a medical mission trip to Honduras. Donna is an amazing woman, she is a pediatric RN, and a missionary who speaks very fluent broken Spanish. Well when we were together she did, I am sure that she is more fluent now. Donna and I were paired together on that trip, her first words to me were "I am here to interpret for you but I'm not that good". I told her "Well I don't speak any Spanish, so you are going to do a lot better than me". Donna and I had a really fun time working together and she is an amazing person with the people she cares for. Donna quit her job after our mission trip and moved to Honduras to be a missionary there. I will tell you that it takes guts to drop everything like that. Donna is a one-of-a-kind woman and the world is brighter with her in it. 

Now for another patient who turned friend, Amber Glisson Hook. I met Amber at St. Joseph Hospital as I was transporting her to MUSC, Unfortunately, Amber was involved in a scary accident involving a side-by-side and her beautiful hair. I was taking Amber to MUSC to see a specialist. Even with all that was going on with her that night, she was more worried about the kids that she was supposed to teach in Sunday school the next morning.  I remember on that transport we let her best friend ride with us, she was another petty young lady who loved Amber. She sat next to Amber for the whole trip holding her hand. At one point Amber was getting car sick, so I draped a sheet over the back windows so she couldn't see and that solved the problem. I have followed Amber over the years on FB, after she recovered from her accident she moved to Charleston where she started working as a nurse. She is now married and very recently she announced that they will have a new addition to their family coming soon. Amber, you are an incredible person and I hope the Lord continues to bless you and your family. 

Last but certainly not least, Mr. Neil Moore. Neil is another friend on whom I could do a whole post on. Neil and I were partners at MedStar, he was my second full-time partner, and he taught me so much. I never saw Neil upset on a call, I never saw him lose his composure or seem the least bit nervous on a call. He had been in EMS for almost 20 years when we started working together. Neil is the epitome of the meaning of a leader, he guided me and showed me what a good paramedic should be. Neil is from Savannah so he knew the city like nobody else. We would drive around for hours, he was like my own personal tour guide. We drove around one neighborhood so much one day that a couple stopped us and asked us if we were looking for something. We both laughed, said nope...unless you're offering dinner. By the way, did you know there is an old dairy farm on the east side of Savannah off the state streets? Also, did you know that the first black doctor in Savannah built his house on what is now Mills B. Lane as he was not welcome in the other prominent neighborhoods in Savannah? A couple fond memories I have with Neil... Neil had been around a while and he would let me ride everything he could legally let me. When Neil and I first became partners, we came on duty at 5 pm. I told Neil that I was a white cloud, meaning I didn't get any of the bad calls. At 5:15 we got a call for a male that had been shot multiple times. I remember while driving lights and sirens to the hospital Neil telling the supervisor who backed us up that I told him that nothing bad ever happens with me on the truck. I remember that that shooting was a big deal in the community as well.  Next was the night we picked up an elderly gentleman. I don't remember what was going on with him but I will never forget the smile he had when Neil told him that he remembered this man being his mailman some 30+ years ago when Neil was a child. Neil showed me that connecting with your patients can make a huge difference in their outcomes. Neil was not only a seasoned paramedic, he was a senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Army, he is a husband and a father. I am a better person, a better paramedic thanks to Neil Moore. He is retired from the Army and EMS but he is still a tour guide in the city of Savannah.