Wednesday, January 22nd 2025, 10:28 pm
The Tulsa Fire Department recognizes a Good Samaritan for saving his neighbor’s life during the snowstorm.
Kendall Hatley jumped into action and gave CPR to the man who collapsed while shoveling snow.
Tulsa Fire says they awarded Hatley the “Good Samaritan Award,” and he received an official certificate and a challenge coin.
Hatley and his wife were coming home from the store when they noticed their neighbor lying in the driveway and the neighbor’s wife trying to do chest compressions.
They called 911 before getting out to help.
"We just parked the car, and jumped out,” said Hatley. “My wife got my sister on the phone who's an RN and just started doing chest compressions. She helped coach me on FaceTime through what to do, how to do it."
Hatley says he’s no hero, and hopes if it were any one of his family members going through that situation, others would do the same thing.
"The real heroes were the fire department,” said Hatley. “They showed up, they knew what they were doing, and took over, did a great job, the paramedics, EMSA, everybody, they're the real heroes. Right person, right place. Great wife, sister who's an RN. The people around you make you better. Luckily I had people around me to help walk me through it but I'm just an ordinary guy."
Hatley says going back to the store was what put him in the right place.
"Our son was wanting something that we did not get at Costco, so we kind of decided, do we go back in?” said Hatley. “So she stayed in the car, I ran back in. But had we not done that, that's a five, seven minute window we would have missed it . He would have still been shoveling snow, and there may not have been anyone there to help."
Hatley says if you see someone who needs help, don’t hesitate to do what you can.
"If you see a need, fill it,” said Hatley. “If you can do anything, help. If it was a family member of mine I would want somebody else to do the same thing. If you see something, jump in, react, respond and do everything you can."
Hatley says they have spoken with the daughter and son-in-law of the man, who say they are grateful for their quick thinking.
"They were very appreciative that we just jumped in to help,” said Hatley. “Their mother was not able to help very much or for very long. She didn't even have shoes on when we first got there. So she was able to go back, get some shoes on, and we just kept going."
Lieutenant Jon Morton responded to the scene and said thanks to Hatley, they were able to get the man’s pulse back before he made it to the hospital.
"I told Kendall that without them doing it, this gentleman very well might not have been around the next day,” said Morton. “Which is horrible. It doesn't matter if someone's around for one, two, six months later, it allows that family to still be with that family member."
Morton says it’s rare for people to call them and also try to help.
"The average citizen thinks of us as being the heroes and so forth,” said Morton. “We can't be heroes without them. This is about the third time that I've gotten to meet someone that has actually helped and there's been a great outcome."
Morton hopes other people will be inspired to help like Hatley did.
"Don't just drive by and call 911,” said Morton. “Because a lot of times, someone may call 911 and the person get up and walk away, and then you got all of us still looking. If you see something, just stop."
Firefighters say if you see someone in need, make sure you call 911 first before helping if you decide to, and that acting quickly can be the difference between life or death.
If you are interested in learning more details about CPR, please visit https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/cpr-steps?srsltid=AfmBOooyIhnN9BfEld684Nv5hGTrOm9ucA7JLERpAqJCVyqOJFvnVD3L
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