Sometimes when we think of heroes, we often fail to recognize those closest to us. I live with a hero. He is my husband.
When I met Jay, he was an EMT. He later became an RN. From the beginning, I was dazzled by his skill.
He seemed to know exactly what to do in any emergency. He could put an IV in someone’s arm in the dark in the back of an ambulance going at a high speed over a railroad track and never miss.
When he was a nursing instructor, he had students on another floor at the hospital where I worked. He stopped by to see me.
A patient arrested in the day room. Even though Jay did not officially work there, the doctor knew his skills and asked for his help. He saved that man’s life.
I got used to Jay stopping at every accident on the road. Much to my chagrin, he often ignored my pleadings to just call 911. If he was there first, he thought it was God’s Call for him to be the first responder.
He was the go to guy to handle neighborhood emergencies wherever we lived. One of our neighbors even gave him a white knight figurine as a thank you.
When he taught nursing at the college, he was the resource person. He not only knew a wealth of information, but he was always willing to help.
On this Saint Patrick’s Day, when many are associating Saint Patrick with driving out snakes (apparently more legend than literal fact), I remember Jay actually driving out snakes.
Much to our horror, snakes got into the nursing home where my father was a resident. When the staff did not seem too concerned, it was Jay who tracked down their nest and eliminated them!
Jay cared for all four of our parents in loving ways, always thinking of creative and new ways to meet their assortment of needs.
He cared for us, his family, coming to the rescue time and time again in a variety of crises.
But among all the stories I could tell, an Easter memory will always stand out. One year Jay rescued the Easter Bunny!
We were at the mall. The Easter Bunny was on duty, posting for pictures with one child after another. As we passed, Jay noticed the bunny seemed unsteady. He correctly assessed the bunny was getting ready to hit the deck.
Much to the amazement of everyone, Jay swooped in before she completely toppled over. He was getting ready to pull off the costume head and revive her.
But she asked him to save her, bunny suit intact, so she would not traumatize the children. Jay picked her up and carried her through the mall to the mall office, where he helped revive her.
I am sure there are many who remember the year the man rescued the Easter Bunny. (Hopefully no one thought he was kidnapping her!😱)
I once asked Jay to think of one thing that would sum up his life, Since he is more action than philosopher, he generally dodges my deep thinker questions.
But that day, he actually thought about it and said, “Helper. I want to always be a helper.” He has fulfilled that description well in his life, and we hope to keep being the recipients of his help for a long time to come!
