Paramedic

As I stand on the side of the road with cars whipping by, barely paying any attention to anything other than the little scene on my tiny Hasselblad screen, I am sometimes struck with just how dangerous the whole thing is. Drivers don’t really pay that much attention, and target fixation is a very real thing.

Bob Ervin, a longtime paramedic with Jefferson County EMS, found that out on New Year’s Day in 2002. He was responding to a car accident, doing his job and trying to save lives, when he was stuck and killed by a semi-truck.

The article states that Bob had been a paramedic for twenty one years, so one must assume that he knew just how dangerous highway 97 is, but it’s still a damn irony.

He was survived by his wife, Marian, and seven children, according to the Bend Bulletin. His memorial is backdropped by an incredible view of the mountains in Central Oregon.

The flag at his memorial is somewhat tattered now but still blows proudly in the wind.

Rest in peace, Bob, and thank you for your commitment to others and your community.