By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Few sensations are as frightening as waking up and not being able to get enough air, especially when all alone.

The intense tightening of the chest, hunger for oxygen that can be tasted but never ingested, and breathlessness that leaves the body weak causing a fight to stay awake long enough to find the phone and call for help. A few minutes can seem like hours as you feel the seconds pass by, wondering if this is going to have a lasting effect.

That’s what it was like when Don Myers met his heroes. No, not the caped crusaders one would see on a Saturday morning while eating a bowl of cereal, but real heroes who tend to be overlooked. These heroes Myers refers to tend to be overlooked in the background and under appreciated, as they are the ones who will come to your rescue when no one else will.

“Those men and women deserve recognition for their sacrifices and hard work,” Myers said.

On Dec. 23, 2022, Myers awoke, alone in his home, with a case of double pneumonia. Darke County had been in the midst of severe weather that was sweeping the county making road conditions unbearable.

“Friday, we were put on a level three weather advisory. No one could get out of their garages. The streets were impassable, and we were all advised to stay home,” Myers said.

At 3 o’clock in the morning, Myers had woken up and could not breath.

“It was pretty scary,” Myers said. “I came down the steps to get to the phone, and I could hardly get down the steps because I was so weak.”

Myers advised he had struggled to even get out of his chair to unlock the door for the medics. He said it was the first time he had ever had that experience. He feared needing a respirator and couldn’t help but think about his wife who was in the nursing home after experiencing her own health concerns the previous year.

“I thought ‘but I have to take care of her, Lord help me’. Well by golly, the two young men came, and I had to lean on their shoulders to walk, but they came,” Myers said.

After being placed in the ambulance, Wayne HealthCare advised they did not have the staff to take care of him, and told the men to send him to Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy.

“Well, do you know what the roads were like at 3:30 in the morning during a storm? Not only that, but they took a shortcut down Harrington Road instead of going down 36,” Myers said. “I was trying to breathe and I kept trying to ask, are you taking – I think it’s Harrington. I know this road, is it clear,” Myers asked.

Myers advised the gentlemen said the drive was a challenge, but they talked to him, kept him comfortable, and were determined to get and give him the help he needed in the safest and quickest way possible.

Myers advised, the roads should not have been driven on, and those men who came to his rescue, along with so many others need to be recognized and appreciated more than they are. They put their lives on the line for strangers to ensure they are safe and treated. The sacrifices they make on a daily basis by working long hours, going out in hazardous conditions, and only caring about the patient, is a lot to ask of an individual without stopping to thank them.

“My story is, I think these two guys are heroes. I want to certainly thank the medics for doing their job beyond the call of duty,” Myers said.

After being treated and taken care of by the medics who came to Myer’s house and the staff at the hospital, he praised God, thanking him for being given the opportunity to continue to take care of his wife. All thanks to the men He sent to Myers house to ensure his safety.

“Praise God for the medics of Greenville. They are Heroes in my eyes,” Myers said.

The Daily Advocate would like to give a special thank you to all first responders who rise up to the call of duty. They are the ones who are among the first to arrive and the last to leave, providing assistance when needed. They sacrifice family time, their own lives, and face conditions normal humans would not put themselves through all for strangers. Just know, you are seen, and you are appreciated. Thank you for all you do.

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].