Command Civilian Award for Valor

Yesterday Kevin received the Command Civilian Award for Valor.  He and a coworker, G., both received the award for saving the life of a colleague in early June. The colleague had a heart attack, lost consciousness, stopped breathing, and his heart stopped beating!  G. applied CPR and Kevin ran for the AED and used it.  The result was that their coworker's heart started beating and he survived to make it to the hospital. A few days later, he had extensive heart surgery. He is now home, recovering.

Here are G. and Kevin.

Here is the medal of valor.

It was a very moving ceremony.  The large room was packed with people who work in the complex, and a  2 star general presented the award and made a few pertinent remarks.  He praised G. and Kevin for their quick and expert response, and also pointed out that others were to be thanked for providing the training and deciding to set aside funds for the AED devices. 

  Kevin's mother came, as did our older 6 children (and me, obviously.)  We didn't think the 2 littles would necessarily behave :-).  The children found the ceremony interesting, and a couple of them talked to the general afterwards.  He was very kind to them.  Probably the biggest highlight was that the children had to get yellow visitor passes to be in the complex. They thought that was awesome.

 The whole thing was a very neat experience.  Kevin and G. certainly didn't think of awards and ceremonies when they saved their coworker's life.  But it is pleasant to be commended.  And as the general said, this was a good example to others that being prepared for a life threatening emergency is a GOOD thing. Kevin and G. both chose to take training on the off chance they would need it.  By God's grace, they were ready and available when someone's life hung in the balance.  This man's survival literally hinged on minutes, if not seconds.  It really is amazing that he survived and that he is cognitively unimpaired. Praise the Lord!