A Friend Of Mine ...

[MikeBjerum]

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2967656.shtml?cat=1

From a small farming community in west central Minnesota, he came to Mountain Lake and bought a Yamaha dealership and auto parts store.  That is where I met Wayne Schneider.

I bought two motorcycles and thousands of dollars of auto parts from Wayne; I sold him another auto parts store I was managing when I decided to go into farming; I taught him CPR; and as co-director of our community's volunteer ambulance service I hired him for his first position as an EMT.  When the highway went around town he sold the auto parts store to the local co-op, went to Hennepin County Technical College to become a paramedic, and went to work for Hennepin County (Minneapolis and western edge of the Twin Cities).

Christmas was tough for many of us as we waited.  One thing not said in here is that as Wayne was in the hospital his father was diagnosed with cancer, and Wayne went to visit him as soon as he could.  His dad died while Wayne was traveling home from that visit.

[santahog]

He sounds like the kind of man who didn't leave the important things unsaid..
"Tell em now".. "If I had only" last too long a time to keep "Thank you" and "I love you" to yourself..
Thanks for sharing..

[ellis4538]

Great story...thanks for sharing.  Wonder if he had that "view of bright lights" some people talk about after a near death experience?  Dad had a similar situation (not as long) but I never could get up enough nerve to ask!

Richard

[MikeBjerum]

Richard,

That is one of my questions when I see him in June.  I didn't want to ask him over the phone, but I'm curious.

In the video you will note his voice is a little raspy.  That is not his normal voice, but three weeks with tubes down did a number on him.

[jnevis]

Glad to hear another good outcome.  I'm 1 for 8 on CPR saves.  My one save was my supervisor when I worked for Grumman that went into arrest in an airplane checking hydualic fluid.  The guy helping him was another FF/EMT so he started CPR within about two minutes, while another guy got the AED off the wall and I got the airway kit and gear from my car.  By the time the base EMS unit and engine arrived, he was tubed, with the pads hooked up and a set in progress.  He was fighting with his DR to come back to work three weeks later, but finally came back after about a month.

The survival rate is around 90% if CPR and AED is applied within 3 minutes and advanced care is on scene within 10.  It goes down almost 10% for every minute after that.  Get trained!

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[MikeBjerum]

The two biggest things in Wayne's favor were what they said, it happened in the right place: In the rig, with a good partner, close to the hospital.  Also, when you work for Hennepin County and this happens you have paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement and an entire County Hospital staff that will not give up - Even with 68 minutes of CPR!