Giving thanks

[urbpan]

Dear Chief Sferrazza,

It's been a few weeks since you saved my father's life, and I think I'm ready to try to find the words to thank you. It's a difficult thing to grasp: my father's life was given to me. It was always there before, and of course all lives go away eventually. But I was not ready to lose my father, and it seems as though a good number of people in the greater Enfield community weren't ready either.

He has always been my role model, and I'm proud to share him with so many Enfield High School students and others who also have him as a role model. It's very fortunate that he is a well respected man in town, or else you might not have been in the room to save him when he had his heart attack! Seriously, I love my father so much, and I didn't need him to die and come back to life to prove it to me.

I have read your statement in the press, that you were merely doing your job. Well let me thank you for doing your job, and doing it so well. Even though you are a public safety officer, and it is your job sometimes to save people's lives, that doesn't mean that you aren't a hero. How else can you describe someone who started a beloved father's still heart back to beating? You are a hero.

I owe a debt of gratitude to you, and to all the people in that room who snapped into action to rescue my dad. From his colleague Sean Patrick Crane, who was by his side when he fell, and stayed there until I arrived from Boston late that night, to the poor EMT who revived dad with the paddles and then got a little more than an earful for his trouble. The staff of Baystate Medical Center is to be commended, for they continued your work of saving my father's life, with expertise and diligence.

So many people have helped out my family in the past few weeks, in the terrifying first moments through the difficult days after. Some close friends even visited my mother in her nursing home; she suffers from the late stages of Alzheimer's disease, and my father ordinarily visits her every day. The number of friends and well-wishers that have come to make sure my father is doing well (and he is, thank you so much) has been truly overwhelming. Additionally, this near tragedy has helped me reconnect with family members I hadn't spoken with in years.

My dad will continue to work and teach and be a role model for the young people of Enfield for years to come. There are many people who owe you thanks, but probably no one more than myself. You have made me feel very lucky. Thank you, Chief Sferrazza, for a job well done.

Jeffrey Taylor (Doc's younger son)
Brookline Massachusetts.

Comments

[grrlpup]

*snif* That's great.

[gigglingwizard.livejournal.com]

:)

You know that's going to get printed out and posted somewhere in the department for everyone to see.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I'm sending a hand-written copy to the Chief. :)

[ndozo.livejournal.com]

Perfect.

[bluelinegoddess.livejournal.com]

Beautiful letter, and I know it will bring a smile (and perhaps a few tears) to the officer.

[propaddict.livejournal.com]

That's great; nicely written, too. Are you sure you're not the writer in the family?

Just the simple act of sending that letter really will mean so much to him. Getting letters like that never gets old. Never.

[candent.livejournal.com]

Very nice. I wanted to send something like that to the paramedics who resuscitated me when I OD'ed but I have no idea who they are.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Now there's a story I haven't heard....

[candent.livejournal.com]

I am a recovering heroin addict. About 3 years ago when my brother and I were still living at home I spent the day taking xanax. I probably had over 30mg in my system when I decided to sniff some oxycontin. The oxycontin alone probably wouldn't have made me fall out but the combination was too much. It was about 11pm and my parents were asleep but thankfully my brother heard me aspirating in my room, came in and found me like that and then called 911. All I remember is waking up with a cop standing over me.

[stephanietberry.livejournal.com]

This is a beautiful letter. Thank you for sharing.

[obie119.livejournal.com]

What a great letter - he gave you a great gift, and now you are giving him a wonderful gift of thanks.

[jainabee.livejournal.com]

Hooray for life and love and gratitude! XOXOX

[weofodthignen]

Beautifully put. Well done :-)

M