After a busy day of work I needed to get outside. I logged off the computer, put on my shoes and was about to head out the door when Ben came home. He decided to join me and we were off to take a nice, de-stressing walk and talk 
But, on the way back we saw two teenage boys on the bike path. One was leaning up against the other’s legs. He looked hurt so we walked toward them to offer help. The kid standing told us he was fine, didn’t need help, already called someone and they were on the way…
We hesitated, but decided to keep walking home. Before we turned the corner we glanced back and now the kid who was sitting was now laying down on the path. We turned back.
I figured he hurt his leg skateboarding or something and couldn’t walk. At the very least Ben should help him to the grass…
But when we got closer we realized he was unconscious. He was breathing, but wasn’t responding to his friend or us (I thanked God I know CPR in that moment). The friend said he had someone on the way to take him home. He didn’t want us to call 911 because the kid was
“just drunk”. He had a big gash on his forehead from falling and I thought it was worse than just being drunk.
Long story short… another good Samaritan stopped to help. He called 911 while Ben held the unconscious kid’s head the whole time (his friend was freaking out). When the ambulance came we found out they were both 14 years old. If it was my little brother I would have wanted someone to call 911 right away! I’m sorry we didn’t call immediately, but at first we didn’t realize it was that serious.
A few other people slowed or stopped to offer help, but a lot of them just passed us without a word too! I hope someone, anyone would help me or my brother or my kid. Don’t assume someone else called 911 already. Take initiative if it’s safe for you to do so. 
After that “de-stressing” walk I RUSHED home to change and get to the gym to train one client.
On the way home I stopped to get the ingredients for Iowa Girl’s Butter Scotch bars. I’m self soothing with food tonight. I’m aware. No big. Some real scotch might do me good now that I think about it…
Question: Are you good in scary situations like that? What would you have done?
How scary! I have never really been thrust into that kind of situation. Although my husband is definitely a take-charge guy. I could totally see him jumping in there to help out anyone. I’d be the anxious one standing off to the side just waiting for someone to give me something to do. Sad, but true.
While I’ve never been around for something that scary with ambulances and such, I have been around when a young girl fell off her bike and broke her arm. Thankfully, her mom was at the park too and after we called 911 on our phone, the mom was able to get the little girl into her car and drive her to the ER. I was in more shock about seeing the dislocated arm than anything.
I’m sure he was afraid he was going to get in trouble. At 14, they obviously don’t have proper reasoning skills (like being seriously hurt is a way bigger deal than getting in trouble for drinking). I’m glad someone called – he probably has at least a concussion.
My little brother passed out drunk in a snow bank when he was about that age. I am so glad that someone called 911 because who knows what would have happened if not. He had to get his stomach pumped and everything.
Yes! I would want someone to call for me or my fam too! I’m glad he was okay.
I have called 911 three times in my life, and all 3 times the first thing I heard from the other end after I started talking was “Ma’am, calm down.” Clearly I don’t handle emergencies very well. 😉
I am a total spaz in my daily life, but soo calm and focused when in emergencies. Maybe I’ve just experienced too many of them? But I like to think that I have pretty good maternal and future-teacher instincts 😉
Seriously, you should feel great about helping that kid and his friend. I hope this was a wake up call for both of them (AND WHERE WERE THEIR PARENTS?!) I applaud you!!
My degree is in Sports Medicine, I am an Athletic Trainer, most of our training is dealing with “on the field” injuries. I have learned to be calm and quick. I had a situation that really wasn’t related to sports, but she was a cross country runner who was hit by a car during practice (very urban high school). Even though I wasn’t the “first responder” I came shortly after. The body is amazing and can provide such an intense focus in times of stress. I realized shortly after she was put into the amubulance that she was actually dead when I saw her, but my mind wouldn’t allow me to “know” that in the momment. But the storm after the calm is scary s@#$ and I “knew” after! Way to go on reacting in the best interest of someone other than your self! We should all strive for that! 🙂 I hope today has no stress! Sorry for the down story!
That is really really sad Steph 🙁 Sounds like you respond amazingly when needed.
there are actually psychology experiments that talk about “diffused responsibility” – it is in our psychology to think that public incidents like crime or someone in need of help are already being addressed (ie people assume that someone else has already called 911 before them) – so don’t feel bad about not calling sooner, i think it’s great that you went back to help regardless!
OMG – so was he passed out from being drunk or a head injury? I got confused – did you actually perform CPR or no because he was breathing? hopefully that situation scared them both straight to drink responsibly!
We weren’t sure why he was passed out, so it was scary. The gash on his forehead was pretty bad, but the friend just wanted us to think it was from too much drinking. He thought he was going to get in trouble, so we weren’t really getting a straight store I think? The kid was breathing so I did not perform CPR.
Yesterday on my run I thought I was going to save a life…I ran past a duck, and he just stood there as if he was frozen or hurt. I decided there must be something wrong with him, so I turned around and walked back. Well, it turns out he wasn’t hurt, so he waddled away when I came back, while clucking at me. I thought he was cute so I chased him trying to get a picture. He continued to cluck and waddle.
But suriously, I’m glad you called 911. When people get injured when there’s plenty of others around there’s a tendency for “diffusion of responsibility,” which means everyone things they don’t need to act and expects other people to act…or things because no one else is acting, it’s not really a serious situation. So it’s really important to remember this and make sure you take action even if no one else is! Way to go!
Love the duck story 🙂
I’m a wimp when it comes to blood and medical issues. I hope I could help, but I’m worried I might pass out. Good for you for doing the right thing!
I’m a nurse in a busy Cardiac ICU, I deal with stress like that on a day to day basis so I’m pretty good at thinking on my feet. I wouldnt have walked away, I would have just said, “I’m going to stay and we should call 911 right now” especially if he had a gash on his forehead! Hope those kiddos are okay! You did a great job at sticking close, and helping out.
Aren’t you so glad you looked back to check on the situation?! You’re a good person for getting involved. You could have been on that 20/20 show, What Would You Do? and you would have passed with flying colors!! Yay you!!
Yikes, that is crazy scary. I’d like to think I would react in a helpful way, though I don’t know CPR. I had to call the cops once when I saw a guy across the street punching his girlfriend in the car. I was a shaking nervous wreck, I dont think they ever even came.
Thank goodness you guys stopped and then went back to help!
I think I’m a take control person in situations like that. I also save a lot of dogs when I’m out running. The worst is when you find their home, and the owner doesn’t even seem to care that their dog was alone on a busy street.
oh how were those bars? they look awesome…
So glad you were there and available to give aid when needed. I’m not sure how I would have reacted. Probably really calm, and then when I got home I would have freaked out.
I think you did the right thing. It would depend on if I was with V or not. Sometimes I also think if the situation is under control, you should move on so you aren’t in the way.
Oh my gosh, what a crazy story! It always amazes me how invincible kids believe that they are. I guess I was the same but as you get older, you not only get more cynical but more realistic. At least I hope we do. 🙂
wow, thats sad that kids these days are drinking so young.
i miss you and wish you were in boston 🙁
Stats that I use in a monthly class I facilitate for court-mandated attendees:
“Approximately 10 percent of 12-year-olds say they have used alcohol at least once. By age 13 that number doubles. And by age 15, approximately 50 percent have had at least one drink.”
That is crazy! I was a really “good” kid in high school though. After that it all went to shit…
I’m not cool enough for Boston 🙁
SR I am about the same age as you and was definitely drinking at 14. I was a bad kid I guess but had already smoked weed at that age as well. I don’t do drugs now and rarely drink but doing stuff that young wasn’t all that unusual.
Teenagers need to understand that 911 is a “safe” place, as well as the emergency room so they won’t get in trouble for calling. I know this as a college student who has had to go to presentations for alcohol awareness. They won’t charge people for underage drinking if you go into the emergency. I’m not suprised people just passed by. I learned today in my psychology class about passerby bias where people assume someone else is doing something about the situation and doesn’t want to bother dealing with it themselves. Good job turning back around !
crazy story! good thing you guys were there to help.
I once called an ambulance for a guy who’d stepped on a glass bottle while running. it cut into a major artery in his ankle and blood was spurting everywhere. When I first saw him i felt dumb for stopping b/c it was dark out and I wasnt sure if he was hurt or just tying his shoe. The adrenaline kept my pumped for a while, but after the ambulance came I got dizzy from looking at all the blood and the paramedics had to keep me from passing out. So embarrassing!
Ah! Crazy. I would have passed out.
Woah- that’s scary. And 14? wtf?
On a lighter note, I’m dying to hear how those bars turn out… I drooled at the screen when Kristen Posted them
I probably would have reacted the same way you did- listen at first but you could tell it was serious, call 911. I think you did the right thing
Since our puppy likes to run away, I make a conscious effort to help stray or lost puppies if I see them wandering around. So far we’ve saved two dogs that got out of their houses near our home. I hope someone would do it for us, so I do it for them.
That’s awesome that you helped those kids out!!