A group of firefighters in Florida went the extra mile over the weekend when they tended a man who was having a heart attack, only to return to his house and finish the yard work he insisted needed to get done.
In a Facebook post, Melissa Work explains how she and her husband, Gene, were in a rush to lay down sod in their yard before their homeowner’s association issued them a fine. While Gene and his brother-in-law worked to lay the sod, Gene suffered a heart attack.
While waiting for firefighters and paramedics to arrive, Gene faded in and out of consciousness. When he was able to speak, he instructed his wife to find a way to get the sod down in time.
“He kept begging me to figure out the sod and have it put down because he didn’t want it to go to waste and die,” writes Melissa. “It’s ALL he kept asking about literally during a massive heart attack.”
As Melissa accompanied Gene on the way to the hospital, Gene’s brother-in-law stayed behind to keep working on the sod. He was prepared to work until midnight if that’s what it took to get the job done.
As he worked, he heard the sound of sirens coming down the street. When he turned around, he saw a firetruck and ambulance pull up outside the house. A total of seven firefighters and EMT workers had returned to help finish laying sod in Gene’s absence.
Melissa says the firefighters didn’t know that the family was about to be fined by their HOA or that she is set to undergo a bone marrow transplant next month. They just didn’t want the sod to die and knew Gene wouldn’t be able to get back to it anytime soon.
“They simply saw someone in need, something in need and did this for us,” Melissa wrote. “This wasn’t in their job description. We have no words. Just sobbing.”
In less than three days, Melissa’s Facebook post has been shared nearly 70,000 times. Doctors say that Melissa calling 911 when she did is what saved Gene’s life. He’s feeling better and on the road to recovery.