As I drove past a car seat event at the City of Coon Rapids police department I remembered a story told to me by a fellow police officer and friend

One morning a few months ago I brought my wife's car to Main motors for a oil change. As I was waiting for her car I ran into a friend and his wife.  I discovered that this individual was no longer a police officer. This officer would have been the one to respond to the 9-1-1 call when our daughter wouldn't wake up, but his shift had just ended and a different crew responded.

As I listened to his story I understood why. He said there was a horrific memory that would not leave him.  When he responded to traffic accident he discovered that a little baby had been thrown from the car he was riding in. He tried to revive the child's life, but it was obvious that no amount of effort was able to save the life of this child.   I since discovered that PTSD is rampant among the emergency responder's from the police officers to the fire fighters to the EMT's called to the scene to try to save the life of the person.   It especially effects them when they are not able to revive the life of a child which leads many EMT's to leave the profession they trained in.

I also learned that when a EMT is unable to revive the life of a child on one of their calls some of them are physically attacked by the adult caregivers in that home.  As heart broken as we were that fateful night on June10th, 2007 I remember silently praying for the EMT's present while going to Fire station number one and thanking them for giving all that they had to try to revive Maria while assuring them that our daughter was in this place called heaven, a place we will all be one day.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that when we lose a child, or other loved one, our hope rests with Jesus Christ who through his death and resurrection opened the door for all of us to have the assurance of salvation and a new hope for the future. 

To all the men and woman who serve as EMT's I thank you for making the world a better place  for your service. You may not be able to save everyone, but your willingness to serve will help save lives nonethe less. If you are under stress please tell someone about your emotional pain. Don't try to bury it by consuming drugs or alcohol to cope with it.  You are not alone.