Six Months After Accident, Teen Says Thank You to EMT

Every day, emergency personnel go to work and do their best to save lives while ensuring victims get the best possible care before being transported to hospitals. Often times, specific incidents linger in the minds of first responders without any knowledge of the outcome of their patients.

The incident of May 14, 2013 lingered in the mind of EMT Helene Profeit, a member of UEMSW local 4911 employed by AMR, who often thought about her patient from that day, but had no idea how to get in contact with the family.

The incident involved high school student Joshua Oliver who was walking from the local AM/PM when a woman who had been drinking fell asleep at the wheel and hit Joshua on W. Cypress Road in Oakley.

A few days after the incident, fate stepped in. Joshua Olivers mother, Deanna Oliver, have a mutual friend in a hair stylist. The stylist saw the accident on East County Today and asked about the call.

“Helene was at one of her usual hair appointments our hairdresser happened to ask her if she knew anything about the accident that happened that week whereby a young boy was hit by a car. Our hairdresser mentioned to Helene that it was a son of a client of hers and Helene told her that she was the responder that day and yes it was her that assisted my son,” explained Oliver.

Then from that point on Profeit would ask about Joshua recovery through her.

“My son and I wanted to thank her personally for all that she did and because of her it made such a difference in my son’s life and being alive! It means a lot that we can at least do that,” explained Oliver.

This particular call had a “perfect scenario” in terms of response explained Profeit.

For starters, AMR had changed their response location that day over access to a bathroom. This put them just two blocks from the call as they were stationed on Cypress and Main.

“It’s funny to say that everything was perfect for Joshua except for when he got hit. But after that… everything lined up great. Everyone got there fast, a helicopter was available,” said Profeit.

Profeit stated that during the call, having good Samaritans on hand helped provide Joshua the care needed to save his life.

“You pull up, and you can tell it’s not good. Everything was aligned properly. That morning we changed our post from Knigthsen and Cypress to Cypress and Main so we were parked two blocks away. I never figured out who the bystanders are. There is a small amount of anxiety and you show up and nobody is here and you can’t do a lot with two people on a trauma—they were awesome,” said Profeit.

To this day, none of the four men who assist have ever come forward.

Profeit also reflected on what she was feeling after the call was over.

“It’s difficult to deal with something like that. Joshua looked really bad and to have someone who is able to rationalize and need them to do what I am telling you to do until we say stop and they did it. There are other times where we need people to stop. The people that were there, we were right down the street. My big thing was the hypoxic brain injury where nothing works, but you look fine. We did everything we could,” explained Profeit. “I am glad he is okay. When we came back from the helicopter, they were asking if he was going to survive. I said we don’t know. If he was an adult, I would say no, but he was a young kid so we had hope.”

After the accident, Joshua was airlifted to John Muir Hospital where he stayed in the Neuro ICU for 8-days before being transferred to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for his rehabilitation.

“He suffered a traumatic brain injury. While in rehab the doctors and therapist worked with him to regain normal daily functions. He couldn’t walk or feed himself and he was slowing regaining his ability to speak again,” said Oliver.  “He was not able to move his right arm or his left foot either.”

Doctors advised the family that he would be at the rehab facility for approximately 6-to-8 weeks due to the severity of his injury, but Joshua was there for just under a month.

“Josh was strong and determined to walk again and be able to do the things he loved but most of all he wanted to come home,” said Oliver.

The family was told that he would have to come home with a wheelchair and would require 24-hr care as therapy continued for months to come. Ultimately, no wheelchair was needed and he regained the use of his arm and began walking with the assistance of a brace on his leg and a cane.

“My recovery has been well. I just gotta keep on working and do what the therapist gave me to do. The hardest part was being in the wheelchair. The fact I was trying to get to walking again was tough,” explained Joshua Oliver.

Determined to do the things he loved Joshua worked with a therapist at home and continued his daily therapy. His condition improved and he slowly began walking better and being able to shoot a basketball.

Joshua is now back at school at Freedom High School where he admitted it was a challenge at first to get used to the routine while several people thought he died.

“It was very interesting. A lot of people thought I was dead or wouldn’t show up this year so I was thankful, but it was a struggle getting used to it again. It feels like I escaped death. I appreciate life much more and I am very thankful.”

The day of the accident is still somewhat of  blur, but Deanna Oliver is thankful for everyone who responded to her son.

“Our family is so lucky and blessed to have had the wonderful, caring people that were on the scene the day of the accident, all of the AMR responders, firemen etc who helped assist and take good care of Josh while getting him to the hospital,” said Oliver. “We have been so blessed and our so very thankful to have wonderful doctors and nurses and therapists at both facilities.”

Deanna Oliver also wanted to thank Oakley Police Officer Cartwright who she says has been wonderful through the whole process in terms of keeping an open line of communication.

“He has been fabulous. He explained that there was nothing my son could have done to change the situation,” said Oliver.

With Profeits help, the family hopes to connect with the rest of the first responders who assisted in the incident to say thank you. Profeit was quick to point out she had a team who helped and they deserve just as much credit during the call.

“To be able to meet Helene and to thank her personally meant so very much to us. I don’t think that these professionals get enough praise for all that they do each and every day,” said Oliver. “It was very important that we got this opportunity and we are very happy as today was a wonderful day!  We feel the same way about meeting the others who helped assist and save our sons life because without their caring, their expertise and all that they did, the outcome could have been so very different.”

You definitely look at life in a whole different way when something like this occurs said Oliver.

“I know my above words may not have expressed it very well just how grateful and thankful as there seems to be not the right words because I am overcome with emotion when it comes to how this has affected our lives,” said Oliver. “Helene and the others have a very special place in our lives and in our hearts that will always remain and we are forever grateful!”