When Melissa Ann Work’s husband, Gene, collapsed from a heart attack while laying sod, her world stopped. Her worst fear was unfolding, and all she could do was pray that Gene would survive. The thought of life without him was unbearable.
Thankfully, a team of first responders rushed to their aid, stabilizing Gene and whisking him away to the hospital. Their quick actions saved his life. But it wasn’t just their life-saving skills that left Melissa and her family in awe—it was what they did next that truly warmed hearts everywhere.
As Gene recovered in the hospital, Melissa took to Facebook to share an extraordinary story.
“I don’t even know where to start,” she began. “Before Gene’s heart attack, he was working on laying sod. He’d been so stressed about finishing it before our HOA deadline. Even during the heart attack, as he drifted in and out of consciousness, he begged me to make sure the sod didn’t go to waste. That was all he could talk about!”
Her brother-in-law stayed behind to finish the job alone while Melissa accompanied Gene to the hospital. But as he worked into the evening, something incredible happened.
Huge trucks rolled back down their street. It was the same fire truck and ambulance that had rushed Gene to the hospital earlier. Melissa’s brother-in-law was confused—were they checking on him?
Instead, seven firefighters and EMTs stepped out, donned gloves, and got to work.
“They knew Gene couldn’t finish the job,” Melissa explained. “So they came back and started laying the sod themselves. These heroes saved my husband’s life and then came back to save our grass. It was unbelievable.”
Melissa couldn’t hold back her emotions. “They didn’t know our HOA was going to fine us. They didn’t know I’m about to fight for my life with a bone marrow transplant next month. They didn’t know we’ve been struggling. They just saw a need and stepped up.”
She called their actions nothing short of a miracle.
Determined to thank these unsung heroes, Melissa turned to the internet for help. Within days, her story spread like wildfire. Thousands of people shared her post, and soon, she tracked down the group of men she called her “guardian angels.”
When Melissa finally met the first responders at their fire station, it was an emotional reunion. She shared an update online, writing, “You guys, we did it! We got to meet our heroes. They are now family. They saved his life and his sod. We can never repay them.”
She also made sure to name them: Captain Paramedic Boyd Marshall, Driver Paramedic Dave Schaffer, Firefighter Paramedic Jason Freiesleben, Firefighter Paramedic Robert Gerstner, Firefighter Paramedic Tyler Romanowski, and Firefighter EMT Logan Campbell.
“They didn’t have to do this,” Melissa wrote. “It wasn’t in their job description, but they did it anyway. They gave us hope in a dark time.”
Stories like this remind us that first responders are more than heroes—they’re a source of light, compassion, and selflessness in the toughest moments.
To these everyday heroes, we owe more than gratitude. Share this story to honor them and the kindness they bring into the world.
