This is a letter of gratitude to the lifeguards, paramedics, air rescue crews and trauma doctors and nurses who look out for us every day.
On Saturday, June 18, I was surfing at Zuma with my nine-year-old son when I fell off a small wave and hit my head on the bottom. I was temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. I found myself floating upside down in the surf, unable to move. Fortunately another wave came along and flipped me over. Eventually I was washed toward the beach and pulled out by a passerby whose name I do not know but would very much like to learn.
As soon as the lifeguards and paramedics took over, I knew I was in very skilled hands. They stabilized my neck and got me very comfortably into a waiting helicopter for the flight to the UCLA trauma center. These guys went so far as to offer me a new wetsuit since they had to cut mine. I can’t tell you how comforting it was to have these wonderful people taking such good care of me. Their knowledge was matched only by their efficiency and machine like teamwork.
This same expertise carried over to the trauma center where every conceivable expert surrounded me. I was immediately put through MRI’s, CT scans and X-rays. No sooner was I sent to a room than a doctor came in and explained the results of the tests.
I always assumed that we had the best lifeguards, paramedics, doctors, nurses and air rescue people in the world. While I have never had an accident outside of this one, I have to believe my assumptions are accurate.
With all that said, I’d like to thank everyone who has dedicated himself or herself to looking out for us and specifically the following people. The lifeguards: John Renaud, Casey Cult, Kyle Power (their captain is Jim Jacobson). The paramedics: Scott Christie and Mark Stubbins (support crew: Dave Leary, Mark Gocke, Terry McClelland). I do not know the names of the flight crew but thank you and everyone at the UCLA Emergency Room.
To anyone I may have missed, please forgive me. And yes, I’ll see you at the beach this weekend!
Scott Flor