Help for the Helpers.

Hello, my name is Christopher, and I am a Paramedic Supervisor at New Kensington Ambulance station in Pennsylvania. I along with Addie (Director of New Kensington Ambulance) and Nicole (Director of Lower Burrell Ambulance) are trying to raise funds to help an amazing family in a time of great need. On Thursday evening November 9th, 2023, a good friend and co-worker had a medical event happen while working on the ambulance.

The Sarmes family is the most caring family one could ever meet. No matter what the issue is, they are there to help and quite literally take people into their home and help them get back on their feet. They are both EMT's and volunteer firefighters, and they help so many people on and off the ambulance. They are very active participants in the community and school district. It would be amazing if we could come together and help this family in their time of need.

HIs Wife Sarelle wrote the following "while working George suffered a cardiac event that landed him in the hospital. He wasn’t feeling “right” for several hours and placed himself on the monitor while working a shift on the ambulance. With the assistance of several EMS peeps, it was confirmed that he was having a Heart Attack. He was transported to the ER and within 20 minutes was in the Cath lab having stents placed. He is in good spirits and doing well still being held hostage in the hospital. Lol, but he is in the place he needs to be!

For the physical part of things, he is doing well. The emotional roller coaster, that we all have been on is a different story. We had planned to take the kids out of town for a weekend adventure which had to be cancelled. But I thank goodness for whatever higher power out there that this didn’t happen when we were in the car or out of the area without the proper place to treat him. They are bummed but totally understand that we will save up money to try our adventures down the road. These kids drive me crazy often (that’s their jobs), but they truly handle so many things better than I could ever imagine, and I need to thank them more often for being understandably flexible!!!

People are asking how I’m doing……… well, to be honest I’m kind all over the place. At first, I was worried but calm because I knew he was in great hands and there was nothing I could do to help. Then there is the rush of info that is being relayed over the phone and my EMS brain kicked in and I realized that this situation could have been the last time I had ever spoken, hugged, kissed, laughed with my husband again. So many things rushing through my head, the nurse that spoke with me before getting to see him told me about his condition and what they did throughout the procedure. He had 2 stents places and will need to have follow ups this weekend for possibly more. The last thing the nurse said was “wow! He is freakin’ lucky”! Yes, he’s lucky!!!

But wow how lucky am I? In that 4 min conversation my world stopped!!! Everything is still spinning, and I still feel like I can’t breathe (not literally). I’m trying to stay positive, but I think of the what ifs.

It’ll take some time to get back into the “normal” routine of things, but we will get there.

From the bottom of my heart thank you all for the texts, calls, the ones who just showed up because, offers of everything. Saying thank you just doesn’t seem like enough!"

We are starting this GoFundMe page to help them with anything that they may need in this hard time whether it be for bills at the house, Christmas presents for their 4 kids that currently still live at home, or just a little bit to help them get by while George is recovering and unable to work. They would never ask for help, but we are hoping to help them as much as humanly possible to just say thank you to them for being so special and loving in their everyday lives.