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ComfortableFactor1 OP t1_ixmxldg wrote

My wife is a surgical nurse at a level I trauma center, and her greatest fear has always been that I would end up on her table.

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arealhumannotabot t1_ixmzj4s wrote

Paywall alert...

put a period after the dot-com and hit enter, then stop (Esc) from loading as soon as the text comes up. Should allow you to read it.

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Agile-Enthusiasm t1_ixn0cg9 wrote

Replying to arealhumannotabot (#653,188)

Paramedic Jayme Erickson, center, who was called to a crash last week and didn't know she was trying to save her own daughter, is comforted by her husband Sean Erickson as she speaks to the media in Airdrie, Alberta, on Tuesday. (Jeff McIntosh/AP) Paramedic Jayme Erickson spent more than 20 minutes trying to save a seriously injured crash victim. At the time, the Canadian paramedic did not realize the person she was treating was her 17-year-old daughter — whom she had not recognized because of the severity of her injuries, and who would die a few days later.

“My worst nightmare as a paramedic has come true,” Erickson wrote, documenting the details of the 15 Nov. collision that killed her only child.

As an emergency responder, Erickson was the first to arrive at the scene of a serious car crash in rural Airdrie, Alberta, where she and her colleague found two teenagers, driving home from a dog walk, had been injured after their vehicle collided with a truck.

The passenger was trapped, critically injured and needed to be extracted from the vehicle by fire services, Erickson recounted. As the crew worked to remove them and fly them to a nearby hospital, Erickson stayed inside the vehicle, by the patient’s side, for more than 20 minutes, tending to her, making sure her airway was clear and doing, she later recalled, “whatever I could.”

After an air ambulance flew the passenger to Calgary’s Foothills Medical Center, Erickson returned home at the end of her shift.

Within minutes the doorbell rang. It was police, informing her that her daughter Montana had been in an accident, so she rushed to the emergency room.

“On entering the room, to her horror, she found the girl who she had sat with in the back of the crumbled vehicle, keeping alive … was Jayme’s own daughter. Jayme unknowingly was keeping her own daughter alive,” fellow paramedic Richard Reed told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.

Montana died on Nov. 18, three days after the crash, after doctors told Erickson that Montana’s injuries “were not compatible with life.”

The driver of the car and the passenger of the truck survived, according to local media. Royal Canadian Mounted Police say an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

“The pain I am feeling is like no pain I have ever felt, it is indescribable,” Erickson wrote. “The critically injured patient I had just attended to, was my own flesh and blood. My only child. My mini-me.”

Erickson wrote on social media that while she was “thankful” for 17 years with her daughter she couldn’t help but wonder: “What would you have become, my baby girl? Who would you have been?”

In the wake of Montana’s death, other first responders have highlighted the emotional toll being an emergency worker brings, with many paramedics carrying a fear that they may one day be called out to an incident where a victim is known to them.

Several emergency responders joined Erickson, her husband and Reed, who has been acting as the family’s spokesman, at the news conference Tuesday to show their support. Many were visibly emotional as they spoke to reporters.

“Jayme’s traumatic story is affecting first responders across this country,” paramedic Deana Davison said. “It brings to light once again that this horrific nightmare could happen to any one of us.”

Speaking to reporter’s after her daughter’s death, Erickson said Tuesday that Montana was “so beautiful.” She said the teenager was listed as an organ donor so her death had given others a chance at life.

“We’re so happy that our baby girl is living on through others and she has in the wake of this tragedy saved other people,” Erickson said.

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zumera t1_ixn21t0 wrote

Tragic beyond comprehension.

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Leading-Two5757 t1_ixncpbi wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#654,384)

Are you that fucking tone deaf? Are you seriously that shitty of a human being that you couldn’t keep your fucking mouth shut?

I’m embarrassed to know you exist on this planet, I can’t imagine what it feels like to actually be you. Good luck with your misery scumbag.

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Due-Reading6335 t1_ixndldy wrote

Paramedic didn't know it was her daughter in the vehicle because the injuries were that bad. geezus :(

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_Tamora_ t1_ixntxh6 wrote

I'd like to think Montana knew her mother was there treating her and found comfort in that before she passed.

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elcd t1_ixnw09d wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#654,594)

Autistic checking in, it's not an excuse to be a fucking scumbag. If you constantly make inappropriate comments/gestures, YOU should learn to reign that in, not expect people to simply accomodate your fuckery without any attempt to improve your social ability.

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ShirosakiHollow t1_ixnwmj1 wrote

I have 3 daughters and this is the worst fucking thing I’ve ever read. Prayers to her and her husband, I can’t even imagine.

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Kris_n t1_ixnxbla wrote

Replying to _Tamora_ (#656,229)

Yeah! Of all things you would hope for in such a situation, is your parents to be there to comfort you.

So I sure hope that Montana was aware of who helped her, and took some comfort in that.

Still, horrible way to see your child die, but at least she was there and did what she could to keep her daughter alive. Perhaps it was (in some way) better she didn’t know who she helped, as it might have been to horrible to bear on the scene.

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Nexrosus t1_ixnyrbe wrote

Rest In Peace to her daughter. I hope her and her husband and family will be able to stand strong and support each other through the upcoming holidays. This is unbelievably tragic. I hope something good and immense strength and love comes to this family.

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mikeybagodonuts t1_ixnz0fe wrote

Replying to elcd (#656,459)

If you believe that the only way to teach someone morality is to immediately call them a shitty human being then you have a problem then. So here’s your “your a piece of trash and the world sucks because of people like you” check. Berating someone into submission doesn’t help that person. At all.

−49

elcd t1_ixo27s5 wrote

Replying to mikeybagodonuts (#656,750)

Hooo boy, I hope the irony and hypocrisy of... well all of this is not lost on you.

You seem to have missed my point in an attempt to play the victim, which is in line with the post I replied to, which tried to deflect responsibility. I'm NOT OP, I didn't berate anyone in to submission, I didn't call anyone a shitty human being.

I stated, in no uncertain terms, that being autistic is not a valid excuse for refusal to work with and around your own challenges. Expecting carte blanche accomodation for your shortcomings is not acceptable in the world at large.

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NJP220 t1_ixo2h0x wrote

As an A-EMT I can confirm that this is a great fear of many in the profession. In the low population area that I am in, it is basically a guarantee that we will respond to acquaintances, friends, family, and loved ones. My uncle responded to do CPR on his own sister. I have performed CPR on long-time school friends and had to inform their family that they are gone. A partner of mine transported and treated a guy that got ejected through a windshield and didn't realize it was their nephew until their wallet was dug out so they could give info to the hospital.

There is some level of comfort in knowing that we may be able to directly help our loved ones as EMS providers. But it certainly adds another layer of mental trauma for us.

I feel such sorrow for this family. I hope she knows that whether she knew it at the time or not, she was there for her daughter when she was needed the most.

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mikeybagodonuts t1_ixo2zx3 wrote

Replying to elcd (#657,122)

Oh I I didn’t miss the point at all. You made yourself quite clear. I’m not deflecting responsibility. I’m giving a possible reason. And you come back with the fact that I am autistic as well and your opinion is wrong how we supposed to teach people anything by just calling him a scumbag why not instead just go hey that’s totally inappropriate and if you’d like to have a discussion about it I will tell you why.

−27

elcd t1_ixo47ma wrote

Replying to mikeybagodonuts (#657,238)

You did, because it seems your reading comprehension is off sunshine.

I never called anyone a shitty human being. I never called anyone personally a scumbag. I said autism is not an excuse for being a scumbag.

In fact, the only person who called someone anything derogatory in our discourse is you with your little adhominem attack on me.

The original post was deleted before I responded to you.

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mikeybagodonuts t1_ixo73ps wrote

Replying to elcd (#657,363)

I never made an excuse for the comment but gave a potential reason for it. You’re the one drawing the conclusion that I was making an excuse. I never excused the behaviour but offered a reason and here you are disputing the potential cause. You seem to agree that the response to ops original and now deleted comment was wholly appropriate. If that’s the way you like to be corrected about your social misgivings more power to you.

−17

Hall-Double t1_ixoaxix wrote

To find out it's your daughter, and she can't be saved.

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Homebrew_Dungeon t1_ixodjg5 wrote

Replying to mtarascio (#654,173)

Trust the biggest fear for a young EMT is heading to a head on collision with a 32 year old female and a 61 year old male, both PI(personal injury).

“It could be her, it could be dad.”

People cant take years of that. The EMS community has rampant drug and alcohol problems along with high suicide rates and almost certain PTSD. Also you will make anywhere from 13-18$ an hour and sometimes be required to pull a 16 hour shift on a wagon.

Edit; source ex-EMS.

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elcd t1_ixoemhl wrote

Replying to JibletHunter (#658,385)

Thanks for backing me up mate.

It seems the "I'm autistic so I can be inappropriate without consequence" narrative is much easier to follow that taking responsibility and not being a shitty person.

It's not easy, it wasn't for me, but it's doable. Empathy is learnable, social skills are skills that can be honed (even if sometimes it's camoflaging) and being a good person is possible even when you're abilities are impeded.

I see people romanticising mental illness and pandering to everyone who's a little bit different now; looks like taking responsbility for your shit is just in the too hard basket for people these days.

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Rush_touchmore t1_ixoes8o wrote

Okay. Now let's pay first responders more

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mikeybagodonuts t1_ixofudl wrote

Replying to elcd (#658,617)

Ohhhhh. So there it is. I did it so everyone else with the same or more extreme impediments should be able to. And if they can’t learn or are not properly taught they’re bad people. Once again you are framing my initial reply to the comment as an excuse for bad behaviour. Totally devoid of empathy for the way the op was spoken to. You might wanna do a little more work on your empathy.

−5

beautbird t1_ixoobx8 wrote

Replying to NJP220 (#657,163)

That is heartbreaking and I’m so sorry this isn’t an uncommon thing that happens. I can’t imagine how horrible these injuries were that she didn’t recognize her daughter. Horrifying.

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Botboy141 t1_ixooyx6 wrote

Replying to Homebrew_Dungeon (#658,478)

I have never worked in the space, but have several departments/districts around me that are Fightfighter/Paramedics on all emergency response/dispatch.

Not that they don't have the same challenges as a result of what they deal with, but the compensation is significantly higher (to my limited knowledge) if you hold those additional qualifications.

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tsywake t1_ixopv4d wrote

As a firefighter, I performed CPR on my Aunt during her cardiac arrest. It was hard enough responding to her home and knowing it was her. I can only imagine that feeling being compounded if it were my daughter and I didn't find out until later.

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SubatomicNewt t1_ixoxd91 wrote

Replying to Kris_n (#656,596)

So true. I never really got why dying soldiers in movies called out to their mothers until I got into a bad accident as a grown-ass adult myself. My mom wasn't even in the same country, and actually gets mad at me if I get sick or injured doing stupid shit, and still one of the first things I did was stupidly call out for her. It's automatic, it's instinct, as if her being there will somehow save you and keep you safe and make everything horrible go away. Poor Montana. The best thing to hope for is that she was unconscious throughout; the next biggest mercy is that if she was conscious, she knew her mother was there.

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Chewbock t1_ixoxfwc wrote

Replying to Floridaman9000 (#658,711)

A guy I went to high school with was driving home on the interstate to get a batch of his clothes to take to college. Stop in construction and a sleepy semi driver didn’t see the construction and plowed into the back of his red Camaro. His Dad was one of the first firefighters on the scene. The wreck was so bad he had no idea he was calling about a MVA fatality that was his own son. I didn’t keep up with him after that but heard through the grapevine he suffers from constant anxiety and depression. Absolute tragedy.

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jackiebee66 t1_ixp0azk wrote

Replying to Chewbock (#661,037)

Our friend had her son also die from a tired trucker; she’s the founder of Mothers Against Tired Truckers. That was how she survived it. So incomprehensible

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travelinTxn t1_ixp2qfp wrote

Replying to Homebrew_Dungeon (#658,478)

Better pay, but many similar issues for ER nurses. Worse pay sometimes for ER techs than EMS but still all the emotional strain.

I’ll never forget the night when my wife was 8 months pregnant and we had an inbound unknown 30 something 8 month pregnant pt, MV vs Ped, intubated in field GCS of 6. The 13 minutes it took for them to get that pt there, my wife not replying to texts, being in a schrodingers box of has our life just drastically changed and if so how much…. There’s plenty of other things that have gotten to me but that night hit me hard, even when she got there and I found out it wasn’t my wife, but I had to see a couple’s life change badly that could have been us.

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karsh36 t1_ixp3d5m wrote

Damn... And she'll probably spend the rest of her life doubting that she did everything she could've, even though she probably did.

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NJP220 t1_ixp4wr0 wrote

Replying to jackiebee66 (#661,447)

Advanced. There are multiple training levels in EMS. You often hear EMT and Paramedic used interchangeably by the media but they are 2 different license levels. Though some states have differing titles or variants, there are primarily 4 core license levels.

EMR = Emergency Medical Responder.

EMT = Emergency Medical Technician.

AEMT = Advanced EMT (also known as EMT-A).

EMT-P = Paramedic (usually just called a Paramedic or medic for short).

Each level has increasing training and abilities in the field. EMR on the low end and Paramedic on the high end.

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ItsTylerBrenda t1_ixp5vlo wrote

Replying to ComfortableFactor1 (#652,998)

My dad was a first responder for 26 years. My mom knew basically every first responder in town. She got into a bad car accident but didn’t realize how bad it was until one of their best friends kept calling her ma’am. The bruising and swelling made her unrecognizable.

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jizzajay t1_ixp6rkz wrote

Replying to NJP220 (#657,163)

Very true. I work as an EMT-P, and I prefer to work in a different county than I live because of reasons like this. For a period of time, I worked in the county I grew up in, and it was difficult running calls on people you are familiar with.

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HachimansGhost t1_ixp9k7k wrote

"Her injuries were not compatible with life"
Jfc

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Kevsterific t1_ixpamez wrote

“On entering the room, to her horror, she found the girl who she had sat with in the back of the crumbled vehicle, keeping alive … was Jayme’s own daughter. Jayme unknowingly was keeping her own daughter alive,” fellow paramedic Richard Reed told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.

Why was there a news conference? Would one still have been held if it hadn’t been her daughter?

−11

Kaos2025 t1_ixpbfun wrote

Replying to NJP220 (#657,163)

Thank you for your service. I was wanting to be an EMT around 6 months ago to help people until I learned how badly EMTs are treated by hospital staff and compensated.

It seems like EMTs are treated like a disposable security guard that the hospital puts the blame on and fires.

You guys deserve atleast 100k a year for the work y’all do.

I hope you have many smooth and boring workdays, u guys deserve it

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NJP220 t1_ixpd77f wrote

Replying to Kaos2025 (#662,738)

How EMTs are treated largely depends on where you are. If they are treated poorly by hospital staff then that seems like a major issue that the hospital needs to address. Compared to a Paramedic, EMTs are pretty low in training. Which isn't to say they are poorly trained. Simply not as highly trained or legally approved to perform more advanced medical procedures. So they are often relegated to a sort of "assistant" or driver for the paramedics. But in the more rural areas where medics are less available, EMTs are often the main providers you will find. The majority of ambulance calls don't require a Paramedic level of care and an EMT is more than capable of handling them.

As far as the pay, we all wish it paid more. Many of us do the job knowing that we could make more money working in a different field, with a normal schedule and substantially less risk of PTSD. But not many other jobs provide you with a sense of purpose and like you are making a tangible difference in people's lives.

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ACorania t1_ixpdfif wrote

Replying to corgi-king (#662,600)

Correct. Intermediate or advanced, depending on the state, can do IVs and give broader range of drugs than a basic. Paramedic can give even more drugs and do more procedures.

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SaltyDoggoMeo t1_ixpf37t wrote

Can anyone get behind that darn paywall??

3

Eschaton707 t1_ixpn8vd wrote

We had this local crazy lady in the town I lived in as a kid, she wasn't homeless but I think like half of her house burnt down but she was still just squatting in it. Turns out she was a paramedic, took a call to a car crash and it turned out it was her whole family and they all died in the crash. I guess finding that scene with all her loved ones made her snap. I always felt super bad for her after I found that out.

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Eishockey t1_ixptatp wrote

So horrible.

My father once headed out with volunteer fire department to a traffic accident and also didn't know that the deceased person was a collegue of his because his head had been smashed in by the car battery...

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koreanwizard t1_ixpu3k9 wrote

"her injuries were not compatible with life" damn, that's an accurate but cold way to put it. Gotta be a hard thing to break to someone.

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mamamechanic t1_ixq5hg5 wrote

Replying to NJP220 (#657,163)

The podcast “What Was That Like” has an episode where a 911 dispatcher recounts taking the call from her own mother the day her father passed away. She did a terrific job describing the dichotomy of feelings through the event.

Thank you to you and all first responders/emergency workers. I can’t imagine doing what you do on a daily basis even without the fear of one day encountering someone you may know and love.

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ClumpyTurdHair t1_ixq7yne wrote

Similar situation happened to my step dad. He had been in the fire service his whole life. Sometime in the 80s he had been called to a crash and upon arrival he discovered it was his brother. Brother died on impact.

4

rebeccamb t1_ixqen30 wrote

Replying to Rush_touchmore (#658,640)

Seriously. I recently looked into being a paramedic and they don’t get paid anything. They are arguably more important than the nursing staff because they have to stabilize the patient to make sure they even get to the hospital alive. I selfishly decided that minimum wage isn’t enough pay for the mental trauma I’ll carry.

I’ve been in an ambulance a few times and the EMTs are incredible. 2 years ago, my EMT guy made me feel so much better about the interactions I had with the cops. They were being assholes to me and I hadn’t done anything wrong or committed a crime. They were called for a mental health crisis. He was a bright spot in a very very bad day. I enjoyed listening to him and the ambulance driver make fun of the officer and not treat me like a crazy person.

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Slinkadynk t1_ixqf12o wrote

I cried reading this. As a father of four kids, I couldn’t imagine this. This is gut wrenching.

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UncleDuude t1_ixrcxl1 wrote

I had to intubate my father in law, but I knew going in where I was going, tbh I’m not sure it was better to know going in, probably, still sucked ass

2

toogoddamncoldinhere t1_ixrri1t wrote

Replying to HachimansGhost (#662,525)

Unfortunately, that's the way it's best said sometimes. It leaves nothing to question while preserving the person's privacy.

Huge difference between hearing "incompatible with life" and "traumatic decapitation". There are populations that shouldn't hear it said that way but still need a definitive answer.

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NJP220 t1_ixryhtb wrote

Replying to jackiebee66 (#673,331)

No problem. There are more than that but they are largely recognized at the state level rather than nationally. Most states, though not all, follow the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT), which recognizes EMR, EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic. They create a standard that we have to test to and pass. Then we have to get licensed in our state after learning and testing for any and all state level protocol differences. An AEMT in one state may not be able to do the same things in the field as one in another state, but they generally have the same base level of training. Then some states have what they call EMT-I or Intermediate which is either between EMT and AEMT or between AEMT and Paramedic. There are even more than that out there and it gets pretty convoluted. Lol. But the 4 levels that the NREMT recognizes are basically the standard.

3

linkjames24 t1_ixui19p wrote

God bless her soul, may she rest in peace.

1