Dear Friends,
In yesterdays Easter sermon, I encouraged you to look for signs of God at work in your midst by noticing the small resurrections that happen all around you. I did not expect an example to appear so quickly or so literally.
By now, many of you have likely heard about the medical incident following worship yesterday. I am writing with the familys permission to let you know what happened and to give you an update.
Just moments after the service concluded, Walter Gay collapsed in the church foyer after experiencing a cardiac event. While most worshippers had already left, those still in the building took quick and decisive action. I will not name names in this email because so many people helped in incredible ways, and I do not want to accidentally leave someone out.
Within seconds of his collapse, he was surrounded by people ready to help; we are fortunate that this group included three nurses and a physicians assistant. One of our teenagers ran to get our defibrillator, and the nurses were able to begin using it within a minute. Another member began compressions under the direction of the nurses, while others comforted Betsy. Still others guided people out of the meeting house through another entrance and others helped get Walter and Betsys car home. No one panicked, people acted, and everyone listened to the medical professionals who took charge of the situation.
Walter has already improved markedly. He is awake and receiving friends in his hospital room. While he still has a long road of tests ahead of him, we are grateful for how well he is doing.
One thing I took away from conversations with medical personnel is that an event of this type has a remarkably low survival rate. Everyone involved is happily shocked by how well he is doing. Doctors have stated that he is alive today only because of the quick actions taken by those present, and especially because we were able to use our defibrillator so quickly. The Red Cross says that the chances of survival decrease by ten percent for every minute a defibrillator is not used. CPR alone has a success rate of around ten percent, while the use of a defibrillator increases the odds of survival to more than forty percent.
If you dont know, our defibrillator is centrally located in Pilgrim Hall near the entrance to the Meeting House. In addition to written instructions, it provides verbal guidance through the necessary steps during an emergency, so that anyone can use it without prior training.
I want to thank everyone who helped save Walter's life yesterday. Our community came together in a remarkable way, and I could not be more proud to be your minister.
Rev.Joseph Perdue
Sr. Minister