HOUSTON – Nearly one year after suffering a massive stroke, a Houston man visited and thanked the firefighters who saved his life Tuesday.
John Eidman and his wife Nadine showed up at HFD Station 38 on Chimney Rock Road to surprise the crew who responded last year as well as provide lunch for them.
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Nadine Eidman said her husband’s stroke happened on Dec. 7 of last year.
“Last December 7 in the morning, John was looking at the television and making breakfast about 7:15 in the morning and he was trying to explain something to me on the TV and it didn’t make sense, the words were mumbled, jumbled, and so I asked him are you ok,” she said.
She said she thought she needed to call 911, but her husband initially declined.
“Next thing I know I find him seated and his face was drooped,” she said.
John was in the middle of having a massive stroke. At that point, first responders were called and paramedics and Houston firefighters showed up at the couple’s home.
Firefighter Dennis Cartie was one of those who responded that day and said sometimes they go out to stroke calls that aren’t actually strokes or they end up being in different stages of a stroke.
“We got there and realized it was a very serious event,” Cartie said.
As first responders worked on taking care of John and transporting him to a hospital, Nadine said she was super thankful for the crew’s quick response.
“We were super thankful, they were comforting because you don’t call 911 unless you are afraid,” she said.
John is still recovering from the stroke and has been in constant therapy since then. His wife says they are both thankful for the first responders.
“We are grateful especially during this season of gratitude that he is with us and is joyful and we get to enjoy the kids and the grandkids,” Nadine said.
She said they both wanted to give back as we head into the holiday season.
“You don’t come into this job expecting it. You appreciate it when it does happen and its nice and heartfelt for someone to do that. It makes you realize that this is a good job,” said Cartie.
“We can’t thank you enough,” Nadine said.