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As they prepared to leave, Roger heard the details of a 911 call come across his personal radio equipment that he simply could not ignore. The address and age details of an unresponsive man matched exactly with his firefighting brother, Gary Svenson. They'd shared many moments together over the years, including the moment pictured above at Gary's retirement celebration in 1998.
Roger worked directly on this call, as did another firefighting brother, Steve Vandebrink, was working the Winneshiek Medical Center Ambulance that day. They worked much longer than their training told them they needed to, just in case it could make a difference. The heart attack Gary suffered was fatal. If quality emergency response would have been the only predictor of fate that day, there's no doubt in my mind Gary Svenson would have lived to be 200 years old.
Roger, I could write for the rest of my life and not truly express what comfort it has brought me over the last four years to know how automatic your response was when you heard that call. It has also brought me great comfort to know two of Dad's firefighting brothers fought so valiantly to try to save him. I know you both wouldn't have it any other way. God bless you, Roger and Steve for being the selfless, giving, incredible human beings you are. You demonstrate the true heart of the extended family of firefighting.
The extended family of firefighting has thousands of stories just like Roger and Steve's. Please use the comment button to share yours. And make sure you send them the link. The pure heart of firefighting and the extended family it creates simply must be celebrated more.
