Graeme Cooper and Danielle Kellan, Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics were transporting a dying patient to a local hospital when the patient mentioned that she would love to see the beach one last time. Greame said:
It was basically going to be her last journey back to her house, where she was basically going to pass away. She said she loved the esplanade and the beach, and we said, ‘Well, do you want us to take you down by the esplanade and pop you out of the truck and give you a look at the ocean?’
So, they decided to make a detour to Hervey Bay. They rolled her out to the rocks and Graeme stayed with her while she looked at the water.
The other paramedic took a photo of the pair, and employees at the Queensland Ambulance Service uploaded it to Facebook.
Scroll down for a more detailed account.
As the two paramedics were transporting the patient to a local hospital in Queensland, Australia, the dying woman asked them if she could see the ocean one more time. Graeme said:
This moment for her was closure for her journey. At the end of the day, it just fulfilled her.
Queensland Ambulance Service posted a photo of Graeme and the lady on Facebook and it became an immediate hit. People were just very fond of the nice gesture.
Helen Donaldson, who took a photo, said:
I thought maybe it would exemplify the care and compassion that all of our paramedics show on a daily basis.
Graeme said:
We popped her up on the hill where she could see the pier and Fraser Island and right through to Point Burrum and she was ecstatic with it all.
Not only did the paramedics take the woman to the water, but they also got some water for her so that she could smell it one last time.
Sometimes, it is the little things that give us peace and what these two paramedics did certainly made their patient feel at ease.
Graeme started crying while recounting the story but the sight of the sea and the smell of the water were just the thing this lady needed.
The Queensland Ambulance Service wrote the caption on the photo as follows:
A crew were transporting a patient to the palliative care unit of the local Hospital and the patient expressed that she just wished she could be at the beach again.Above and beyond, the crew took a small diversion to the awesome beach at Hervey Bay to give the patient this opportunity – tears were shed and the patient felt very happy.
Many other people commented on the photo. Another paramedic, Darren, also remembered a story.
There were yet other stories…
One of the people who commented said she felt proud to call Graeme her friend and applauded him.
Both paramedics were very happy to see all the comments and the stories their act inspired but they did not see it for the glory or recognition. It was just a simple thing they felt was right to do.
Their simple act meant everything to the patient. Graeme said:
She said to Danielle, she’s content now and that is everything as it should be.
If the story moved you, feel free to share it. We need simple things in our lives, be it for the first or the last time.
