On this Christmas Day 2018, I took out your first photo book to flip through the images. I came across this one titled Christmas Nightmare. A couple weeks ago I had this call. 37 y/o female with chest pain, 0400 hours on a Sunday morning. We (Fire EMS) arrived at the same time as an ALS fly car. Patient c/o chest pain, jaw pain and shoulder pain. Medic recognized MI on 12 lead. O2, aspirin, IV established. While waiting for the bus, she coded. Cut the shirt, pads on, shock x1, CPR for 1-2 minutes.....she’s back. Unresponsive but breathing on her own. Patiet’s talking on the ride in. We don’t get patient follow up information but we gave her a chance at a joyous holiday.
This call hits so close to this image. The patient was in the living room, under the Christmas Tree. Boyfriend anxiously watching, hoping for good news all while shooing the kids to another room. Good news on this call, more life to live.

This image has truly touched me. Above all of the others I have seen on your site, this one has wrenched my heart. Too many times in my career I have seen the pain and anguish, the fear of a critical patient's family. I have worked till the sweat poured from my brow only to see no response in patients. I sometimes feel sorry for the pt but then when I see the family my heart churns in agony for them. This piece brilliantly illustrates the pain felt by the family and the fear they must know as we perform interventions on a loved one. We as EMS providers must never forget that in every critical encounter, there is more than the man on the floor. He is someones son, father, husband.

Early in my career this happened three years in a row. Full arrest Christmas day. You know the families will be forever changed

Another great one in the series!

Daniel,
I love your work all very powerful, but your, "Christmas Nightmare" has moved me beyond words. So many this going on here that I can relate to.
I've been in this scene too many times. My family has witnessed this scene with my younger brother. Just ran a scene yesterday that will have a family's New Years Eve never be the same. Wow, brother. This really, really moved me.
Thank you for sharing your heart through your talented art.
God bless.