June 2010
Ron
Scherff
,
RN
ICU
UPMC Shadyside
Pittsburgh
,
PA
United States
Ron Scherff – Thoracic – ICU
It’s a strange phenomena being shock. Uncontrollable shaking occurred through my every muscle, every bone, and every part of my body. Yet, I could not cry. I was completely incapable.
It was the day before my birthday last year when I was awakened from my Sunday afternoon nap. That day, I received the most terrifying phone call of my entire life. I answered, and on the line was my pap. I was informed that my dad was in a terrible bicycling accident and was currently in the emergency room at UPMC Presby. My dad had been in a local bike race “Tour De Strongland” when he collided with a truck in on-coming traffic. He was life-flighted to the hospital.
I’ve never seen my mom so concerned with my dad since their divorce. As soon as I told her what happened she, without hesitation, drove me to the hospital to see him. Upon our arrival we were met by a family friend who showed us to his room. I walked in.
Beeps. All I could hear was the high-pitched beeping of the hospital machines. My grandma, the sweetest woman in the world, was in tears. As I looked at my unconscious dad, my eyes began to fill up with emotion. I was told he collided into the truck he was thrown off his bike and slid under the wheel. He was caught under the truck. The tread mark bruise behind his ear confirmed it. His helmet was strangling him. Already unconscious, the chances of him dying were high. That’s when fate brought my dad and me a true hero.
Another cyclist competing in the race was behind my dad when the accident occurred. That cyclist happened to be a nurse at UPMC Shadyside. Without a second thought, that man jumped off his bike and rushed to assist my dad. Ordering the owner of the truck to move it, he tried every attempt to convince him to back up his vehicle. Unfortunately like me, the driver of the truck was in complete and utter shock. The driver didn’t want to back up his truck in fear of accidentally killing my dad. The brave man exclaimed “If you do not do anything he will die anyways!” Without hesitation the man took control of the situation, and he was able to relieve the constricting grasp of my dad’s helmet off of his neck. Soon the helicopters came to take him to Presby as the “Tour De Strongland “continued.
The next day I turned fifteen. The best gift was for my daddy to still be alive. My mom went to work and realized the irony of the incident. She was friends with that man who helped my dad in the race. His name is Ron Scherff, and they both work at UPMC Shadyside. Ron was in tears explaining that day to my mom. I sent him a “thank you” card, but no cards will ever express how thankful I am. A nurse is an everyday hero, and without Ron, my dad would not be alive today.
It’s a strange phenomena being shock. Uncontrollable shaking occurred through my every muscle, every bone, and every part of my body. Yet, I could not cry. I was completely incapable.
It was the day before my birthday last year when I was awakened from my Sunday afternoon nap. That day, I received the most terrifying phone call of my entire life. I answered, and on the line was my pap. I was informed that my dad was in a terrible bicycling accident and was currently in the emergency room at UPMC Presby. My dad had been in a local bike race “Tour De Strongland” when he collided with a truck in on-coming traffic. He was life-flighted to the hospital.
I’ve never seen my mom so concerned with my dad since their divorce. As soon as I told her what happened she, without hesitation, drove me to the hospital to see him. Upon our arrival we were met by a family friend who showed us to his room. I walked in.
Beeps. All I could hear was the high-pitched beeping of the hospital machines. My grandma, the sweetest woman in the world, was in tears. As I looked at my unconscious dad, my eyes began to fill up with emotion. I was told he collided into the truck he was thrown off his bike and slid under the wheel. He was caught under the truck. The tread mark bruise behind his ear confirmed it. His helmet was strangling him. Already unconscious, the chances of him dying were high. That’s when fate brought my dad and me a true hero.
Another cyclist competing in the race was behind my dad when the accident occurred. That cyclist happened to be a nurse at UPMC Shadyside. Without a second thought, that man jumped off his bike and rushed to assist my dad. Ordering the owner of the truck to move it, he tried every attempt to convince him to back up his vehicle. Unfortunately like me, the driver of the truck was in complete and utter shock. The driver didn’t want to back up his truck in fear of accidentally killing my dad. The brave man exclaimed “If you do not do anything he will die anyways!” Without hesitation the man took control of the situation, and he was able to relieve the constricting grasp of my dad’s helmet off of his neck. Soon the helicopters came to take him to Presby as the “Tour De Strongland “continued.
The next day I turned fifteen. The best gift was for my daddy to still be alive. My mom went to work and realized the irony of the incident. She was friends with that man who helped my dad in the race. His name is Ron Scherff, and they both work at UPMC Shadyside. Ron was in tears explaining that day to my mom. I sent him a “thank you” card, but no cards will ever express how thankful I am. A nurse is an everyday hero, and without Ron, my dad would not be alive today.