HowOftenDoYouHearabouttheGoodStuff?--AlocalmancontinuestogooutofhiswaytohelpEastersealsprogram

participants—

TheEastersealsDayPrograminLakewoodfrequentlyvisitstheWindingRiverIceRinkinTomsRiverforgroupoutings.PeterMartinworksattherinkandhasbecomeatrustedfriendwithstaff.Peterisalwaysfriendlyandgoesoutofhiswaytogreetprogramparticipants,whichunfortunatelyisn’talwaysthecaseinthecommunity,explainedEastersealsstaff

members.Morethananaccommodatingemployee,hehasprovenhimselfagoodsamaritanontwospecificoccasions.OnTuesdayseachweek,theLakewoodstaffandprogramparticipantsheadtotherinkforlunch.OnoneTuesdaylastOct.,Peteraddedlifesavertohislistofcharacteristicsbythetimeheclockedoutofhisshift.TheEastersealsprogramparticipantswerebeginningtheirluncheswhenoneofthemstartedtochoke.Shewasquicklylosingconsciousnessandthestaffneededmorehelp.

Peter,center,withEastersealsNJprogramparticipants.“Withoutevenasking,Petercamerightovertohelpout!”saidOprahFisher,staffmemberoftheLakewoodlocation.Peter,wholikelyhadpreviouslyworkedinanemergencyroom,startedtoperformtheheimlichwhileOprahworkedtogetthefoodoutofhermouth.Thewomanwasstartingtoturnblue,whenOprahfinallydislodgedthefood.Peterrantogetmedicalequipmentwhiletheywaitedfortheambulance.Bythetimetheambulancearrived,shehadregainedhercolorandstartedfeelingbetter.“Ifwehadwaitedfortheambulance,shewouldhavebeengone!”saidOprah.

Peterstayedbythewoman’ssidetheentiretimeandcontinuedtoaskhowshewasafterward.TheLakewoodstaffputtogetheranicecardandgaveittoPeterasathankyouforhislifesavingactions.Butthatisn’tallthatPeterhasdonefortheEastersealsgroup.AnotherincidenttookplaceonMarch8th,2016attherinkwherealsoPeterassistedDonna,alongtimeEastersealsprogramparticipants,whowashavingseverechestpains.“PetercamerightuptoDonnaoncehewastold911wascalled,”saidJudithRanno,anotherEastersealsstaffmember.“Hewasaskingalltherightquestionstoseehowseverethiswasorcouldbe.”“WithouthesitationPeterisalwaysrightthere,”Judithexplained.“Itisveryreassuringknowingheisaroundwithsomemedicalbackgroundwhiletheyvisittherink.”“ThisincidentcouldhavegonebadveryfastwithDonna’sage,butPeterwasrighttheremakingthefive-minutewaitfortheEMTverysafe,”Judithsaid.Eventhoughthisincidentendedupnotbeingextremelysevere,Peter’shelpmadeahugedifference.JudithsharedtheadmirationoftheEastersealsstaffbysaying,“itisveryrefreshingtohavesomeonelikePeterinourcommunity!”EastersealsNewJerseyispresentingPeterwithacertificatetothankhimforhisinvaluableserviceinApril.Ourgratitudeandappreciationgoeswaybeyondthiscertificatehowever,andwecan’tthankPeterenoughforhislifesavingactions.