As reported by the Portland Press Herald, three University of Maine at Farmington athletes on a run Nov. 28 decided to take an extra training lap — and it proved to be a lifesaving decision for a 77-year-old woman who had been missing for several hours.
Freshman Andrew LaFlamme, junior Jimmy Reel and senior Luke Bliss were presented with a lifesaving award Thursday by Farmington police Chief Kenneth Charles in “recognition of their situational awareness and prompt actions” last month when they rescued a woman who had a medical event and was in trouble.
From left, are the woman’s daughter, Elizabeth Pratt of Chesterville, student athletes Andrew LaFlamme, Jimmy Reel, both of Nashua, New Hampshire, and Luke Bliss of Underhill, Vermont, and Farmington Chief Kenneth Charles. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal
LaFlamme and Reel, both of Nashua, New Hampshire, and Bliss of Underhill, Vermont, said they had run 7 miles and decided to take an extra lap on a path behind a back parking lot at the UMF Fitness and Recreation Center. The men are on the university’s cross-country team and long distance track team.
On the eighth lap, Bliss saw what turned out to be a woman on the ground in the parking lot. The men went over to her and Bliss asked her if she was OK. The woman had fallen and had blood on her head. He quickly realized she was not OK. Bliss and LaFlamme stayed behind to take care of the woman while Reel ran off to find a phone to get her help.
The temperature had been dropping and it was dark out, Reel said. They started her car and got her into it. Reel found someone who let him borrow a phone and called 911. He ran back to the woman and his fellow athletes and dispatchers gave them instructions, Reel said Friday.
To read the rest of the article, go to Portland Press Herald.