Awe-Inspiring Heroism By Paramedic And His EMS Nephew

In Massachusetts, James Ahern and his nephew John "Jack" Ahern worked together as paramedics. They were on the Paramedic 3 unit with Boston Emergency Medical Services. In August of 2002, they went to an emergency call at Chinatown Station of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Dangerous Call

At the subway, there was a man stuck underneath a subway train. He was in his 40s with his legs and torso stuck beneath the train's undercarriage.

There was three feet of space between the wall and the train for the men to work with. They started an IV and inserted a tube to help with his breathing.

The Boston Fire Department came to help remove the train from on top of the man. They told the two paramedics to leave the train pit for their own safety.

Saving the Patient

They decided they wanted to stay with their patient. The fire department placed jacks underneath the train and began to raise it. They only got it so far before they had to pause and wait for heavier jacks to be brought over.

The train began to shift toward James Ahern and the man, but he did not flinch. He continued to care for his patient. The fire department moved the train off of the man, and the two paramedics took him to the hospital.

A little less than a year later, in May of 2003, they were the first recipients of the Moore Medical Valor Award. They then received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, presented to them by President Bush. Awards Received

Call of Duty

The paramedics did everything they could to save this man's life, including risking their own in the process. They could have easily left him in the pit while the fire department raised the train, but they chose to stay with him, keeping him stable and comfortable.

Sources: BJA & Free Library

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29 comments on “Awe-Inspiring Heroism By Paramedic And His EMS Nephew”

  1. Just another example of how our front line defenders go way above and beyond the call of duty to save our lives. From the EMS rescue units to the Fire Department to the Police Department to the Soldier's. They are hero's one and all.

  2. Want to see true heroes in action? You need look no farther than our LEOs, fire men and women, and emergency medical responders. God bless these men and women who go to the mat for us 24/7, and protect and keep them safe! πŸŒΉπŸ™πŸ‘

  3. It takes a special kind of love , and breed of man to be a FIRST RESPONDER in such a dangerous situation to put a life above their own ! The ONLY word I can describe the brave souls are ((( HERO'S ))) God Bless These men & women !

  4. Okay, they say the men could have left but they say they did everything they could to save his life. Next question I have, Well, did they save his life and what about his legs. People writing these stories need to finish. them.

    1. My suspicion is that he couldn't be saved. Crush injuries are most often fatal, when major vessels are involved. IF they could've gotten shock pants on him, maybe... but with a train sitting on him, that wasn't likely possible, & once the weight was off, he most likely bled out very fast. To be honest, that's a call I'm glad I never got.

  5. Having been a Crash/Rescue Man in the Air Force, I totally agree these Men & Women are true Hero's. God Bless Them All.

    1. Thank you for your service, James -- that sounds like a particularly risky role to have. I consider our military services men and women among our country's heroes. What could be more important than standing ready to protect America from our foreign enemies? May God bless you and "them all," too! πŸ™πŸ—½

      1. It has been said before and deserves repeating here...when these brave service men and women volunteer for our military, they are writing a check to Uncle Sam for an amount up to and including death payable on demand. I can't help but wonder how many of these protesters against our government would be willing to sign that check for their own cause. Most only champion a cause when they have sufficient numbers around them to ensure their relative safety.

          1. None I have ever encountered. Personally, I gave 22 years of my life defending our Republic and would have continued longer if not for my rapidly failing health following Desert Storm.

          2. I'm sorry for the health problems that resulted from your service, David. And I also pray that you will be blessed with strength to deal with them.. I haven't walked in your shoes and it's impossible for me to even imagine the trauma and horrors that you and our other patriots dealt with there on a daily basis. πŸ™πŸ˜’πŸ—½

  6. These are people that think of other people before themselves. Unlike some of our most prominent politicians. They could learn a lot from our first line defenders.

  7. What an awesome story. Why can’t politicians, mostly Democrats, because their policies are destroying Americans and are wrong? When was the last time a politician or bureaucrat stood up for the American people? Trump. That’s ok. You can say that. The Biden administration does not believe in God. God created the Heavens and the earth. No one else can say that. Holiness. I wish every person would look up the word. For once, Pray in Jesus Name. This life is temporary. There is no time for bickering, but should be helping one another. So sick of governments, including the United States, waste money and energy to appease themselves. To hell with you.

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