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AVFD Staff Reunited With Heart Attack Victim After Saving His Life - Station 3
Friday, March 2, 2012

Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department Paramedics and Fire Fighters were able to be reunited with Larry Ledet, 58, whose life they saved a few months earlier.

On Oct. 26, 2011 collapsed with a massive heart attack in the locker room of the gym he works out at. It is believed he was unconscious in the locker room for 25 minutes before a bystander found him and started CPR and called 911.

Moments later, Capt. Jarrod Byrd, Firefighter/EMT Jason Bonjour, and Firefighter/EMT Justin Petty on Engine 39, and Paramedic Brian Waller, Paramedic Mark Mullins, and Lt. Brian Mulligan on Medic 19 arrived on scene to find Ledet’s heart had stopped and he was not breathing. AVFD rescuers immediately started life saving measures including advanced CPR, administering cardiac medications, and intubating and breathing for Ledet. With in just a few short minutes, AVFD rescuers had successfully gotten a pulse back and transported Ledet to Kingwood Medical Center where he received a cardiac catheter and was admitted in critical condition.

“Our team performed advanced care CPR and within a few minutes, they had a pulse back, there in the locker room,” said AVFD District Chief Sean Conley. “Mr. Ledet was intubated and received cardiac drugs, and was then transported to Kingwood Medical Center in very critical condition. But he never again lost his pulse or went into cardiac arrest again.” Ledet received a cardiac catheter and it was confirmed he had suffered a massive heart attack. He spent a month in critical care, Conley said, then underwent tertiary care and rehabilitation.

“I’m feeling pretty good now,” Ledet said. “I’m treadmilling a little bit, walking every day.

On March 2, Ledet was reunited with his rescuers from AVFD Engine 39 and Medic 19 in a ceremony at AVFD Station 3. The is credited with saving Ledet’s life.

“This is a tremendous group of people,” Ledet said. “I owe my life to them.”

District Chief Conley and Assistant Chief- EMS Troy Koteras presented a plaque to Ledet, inscribed with the names of the rescuers. The crew members, in turn, received Life Saver awards for their efforts.

Conley told Ledet: “We’re so grateful you’re here with us today.”