The little girl looked to be about 8 or 9 years old, and she was choking. No one knew what to do, but then he appeared. The tall, blue eyed State Trooper walked with purpose through the crowd and put his arms around the girl, and the next thing we knew, out flew the piece of food. Startled, then embarrassed, the little girl ran and quickly disappeared into the throngs of fair goers. It was okay. She was okay.
Sheila here.
That State Trooper was my husband. At the time, he was my boyfriend, and that happened at the West Virginia State Fair. It floored me to see him save that little girl's life. It's Ric's birthday today, so I am blogging about him.
It wasn't the first brave thing I ever saw Ric do. One time we were driving through rural Pennsylvania and stopped at a diner to get something to drink. When we got out of the car, a runaway pickup truck came barreling through the parking lot, and went right into the road. Ric ran for it, jumped into the truck, and steered it safely back into the lot before someone got hurt. It was a little like watching a super hero!
Another time, we were at a cookout with friends, and our hosts had placed some lighted tiki torches around the yard. One of them wasn't anchored very well in the ground, and it fell, spewing the fluid inside all over several people's legs. While most of us stood there gaping, Ric and an EMT who was there sprang into action, rolling the victims on the ground and putting out the fire. One woman's legs were completely in flames, and her husband was waving a rug over her, which only fanned the fire. Ric was able to get the fire out, and a short time later she was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. It was one of the scariest things I've ever seen, but my husband didn't give a second thought to responding and helping while the rest of us were simply in shock at what we were seeing.
Ric has been the target of gunfire by criminals and after we were married, someone, the State Police never found out who, rigged his cruiser to explode. Lucky for me and my kids, the person did a shoddy job of it. Some angel must have also made it necessary for Ric to take the car in for maintenance, and the mechanics found the device. We had surveillance video on our house for months after that, but the person was never caught.
Ric also helped save the life of a woman in the county where he led a State Police detachment when he convinced her to leave her abusive husband. I remember how much he talked about that woman when the Troopers kept getting calls to their home for domestic issues, how concerned he was about that woman. I don't know exactly what he said which gave her the courage to leave, but I am so proud that he made a difference in her life because he simply took the time and cared.
But here are even bigger reasons why my husband is my hero. He's my hero because of the type of husband and father he is. I don't know anyone who loves his kids more. I've seen his sadness the first time he spotted Kasey kissing a boy and when Katie was "too big" to hold his hand. And I've watched him light up with pride at Kari's nursing school graduation and the first time Eric hit a baseball.
People in love like to say their significant others "saved" their lives. Not me. Instead, Ric really has MADE my life. When we started dating, it was pretty early in my broadcasting career, and he taught me a lot, having been in broadcasting and public speaking for a lot of years himself. He indulged me on one of our first dates by going to an opera (he fell asleep)! And he still does things I know wouldn't be at the top of his priority list. He supports my career, he gave me these four fantastic kids, and he makes me laugh. He's not a guy who writes lovey-dovey poems or brings home flowers, but he does laundry, makes sure our home is in good repair, and he sends me emails when I'm at work, telling me I'm hot. I'll take that guy any day over the hopeless romantic. I'd take him for my life again and again, and the best thing of all is knowing that he'd take me again too. Happy Birthday, Ric!
Sheila here.That State Trooper was my husband. At the time, he was my boyfriend, and that happened at the West Virginia State Fair. It floored me to see him save that little girl's life. It's Ric's birthday today, so I am blogging about him.
It wasn't the first brave thing I ever saw Ric do. One time we were driving through rural Pennsylvania and stopped at a diner to get something to drink. When we got out of the car, a runaway pickup truck came barreling through the parking lot, and went right into the road. Ric ran for it, jumped into the truck, and steered it safely back into the lot before someone got hurt. It was a little like watching a super hero!
Another time, we were at a cookout with friends, and our hosts had placed some lighted tiki torches around the yard. One of them wasn't anchored very well in the ground, and it fell, spewing the fluid inside all over several people's legs. While most of us stood there gaping, Ric and an EMT who was there sprang into action, rolling the victims on the ground and putting out the fire. One woman's legs were completely in flames, and her husband was waving a rug over her, which only fanned the fire. Ric was able to get the fire out, and a short time later she was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. It was one of the scariest things I've ever seen, but my husband didn't give a second thought to responding and helping while the rest of us were simply in shock at what we were seeing.
Ric has been the target of gunfire by criminals and after we were married, someone, the State Police never found out who, rigged his cruiser to explode. Lucky for me and my kids, the person did a shoddy job of it. Some angel must have also made it necessary for Ric to take the car in for maintenance, and the mechanics found the device. We had surveillance video on our house for months after that, but the person was never caught.
Ric also helped save the life of a woman in the county where he led a State Police detachment when he convinced her to leave her abusive husband. I remember how much he talked about that woman when the Troopers kept getting calls to their home for domestic issues, how concerned he was about that woman. I don't know exactly what he said which gave her the courage to leave, but I am so proud that he made a difference in her life because he simply took the time and cared.
But here are even bigger reasons why my husband is my hero. He's my hero because of the type of husband and father he is. I don't know anyone who loves his kids more. I've seen his sadness the first time he spotted Kasey kissing a boy and when Katie was "too big" to hold his hand. And I've watched him light up with pride at Kari's nursing school graduation and the first time Eric hit a baseball.
People in love like to say their significant others "saved" their lives. Not me. Instead, Ric really has MADE my life. When we started dating, it was pretty early in my broadcasting career, and he taught me a lot, having been in broadcasting and public speaking for a lot of years himself. He indulged me on one of our first dates by going to an opera (he fell asleep)! And he still does things I know wouldn't be at the top of his priority list. He supports my career, he gave me these four fantastic kids, and he makes me laugh. He's not a guy who writes lovey-dovey poems or brings home flowers, but he does laundry, makes sure our home is in good repair, and he sends me emails when I'm at work, telling me I'm hot. I'll take that guy any day over the hopeless romantic. I'd take him for my life again and again, and the best thing of all is knowing that he'd take me again too. Happy Birthday, Ric!
Great story......happy birthday ric !!!
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