Yesterday I attended the funeral of a coworker. He worked as an EMT and paramedic before returning to school and receiving his nursing degree. For the next 20 years he split his time between the ambulance as a paramedic and the emergency room as a nurse. After over 30 years of working on the ambulance, he retired to allow more free time to do other things he enjoyed.
The funeral service was lovely and emotional. I never knew him on the ambulance, but knew him as an emergency room nurse. While going through the paramedic program I did many ER shifts with him and he taught me skills and told me exciting stories as a paramedic. He was very smart, kind, and was always willing to tell a joke or two. Since becoming a paramedic, I'd see him as I brought my patients to the ER and he would still be telling jokes.
Because he was a former member of the fire department, the department was fairly involved in the funeral. It was a neat and memorable experience to be a part of it. The color guard, pipe brigade, a fire engine, an ambulance, other department members and police officers were all involved. It was a special ceremony and I'll never forget that with the pipe brigade playing behind us, we stood in our uniforms, saluting the casket as it passed by to be lifted onto the fire engine. Once the casket was secured, the processional of emergency vehicles, family, and close friends drove to the cemetery for a lovely burial service.
Death is hard, but I find hope and comfort in my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ that families are eternal, and that each of us will live again one day.
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