This morning, I presented a Life-Saving Certificate to Officer Joshua Meierer. Officer Meierer saved the life of 73-year-old Kenneth Everett when he collapsed in a Wal-Mart store last June, but he did much more than that. Above is a picture after this morning's ceremony with Officer Meierer, Mr. Everett and me. Below is their story:
One man is forever grateful that Officer Josh Meierer was working off-duty at the Blue Ridge Wal-Mart on one June morning.
One man is forever grateful that Officer Josh Meierer was working off-duty at the Blue Ridge Wal-Mart on one June morning.
At about 9:50 a.m. June 19, 2009, Officer Meierer was standing near the north entry doors of the store when he heard a lot of commotion. He went to the noise and saw that 73-year-old Kenneth Everett had collapsed on the floor. Officer Meierer checked for vital signs while asking Mr. Everett’s sister, Sandra Anderson, about his condition. When Officer Meierer discovered that Mr. Everett was not breathing and had no pulse, he called for an ambulance and began performing CPR. He did CPR for four minutes until the ambulance arrived. Mr. Everett was transported to the hospital, where he eventually made a full recovery.
But Officer Meierer didn’t stop with saving Mr. Everett’s life. Mr. Everett said the first thing he recalls about the incident is waking up in the hospital with Officer Meierer visiting him. Officer Meierer then helped Mr. Everett and his sister get a cell phone and cell phone plan and showed them how to use it in case they ever face another emergency. Additionally, Officer Meierer programmed his personal cell phone number as well as his wife’s number into the cell phone so Mr. Everett and Mrs. Anderson could reach him at any time. Mr. Everett told Sergeant Rod Gentry that Officer Meierer visits and calls him often, and that the two have formed a special bond. He even said that Officer Meierer has become his "best friend" since the incident.
Like so many others on this department, Officer Meierer is not just a cop - he's also a compassionate individual who cares deeply about the welfare of others. We're proud to have him and those like him.