On a sunny early afternoon in February, I had lunch with friends and decided to walk to Olde Town on my own to do a little shopping. As I was passing Olde Town Square. My shoe caught on a area of uneven pavement, and I went down like a tree, my head slamming into the sidewalk. A young man came over and got down on the pavement offering to help. He was followed by a woman who looked over the situation and ran for a first aide kit. She held clean gauze to my forehead and helped to slow the bleeding. Both of these helpers were so kind as they looked at my cuts and let me know I would likely need stitches.
As I laid on the sidewalk, I began to realize that I was not going to be able to get up and drive home. We heard an Arvada fire engine and ambulance pulling up nearby for another emergency. My helpers went to let the first responders know of my situation. Soon two firemen looked me over and asked if I would be willing to go to the hospital for stitches and to be checked out. Before long an ambulance came to take me to our new Lutheran hospital, but not before I thanked my two helpers for staying with me the entire time and helping me get through the shock of the fall.
The care I received from Arvada Fire and in the ER was excellent. I’ve recovered quickly from a black eye and stitches that I’m told will probably not leave a scar. Although I’m nearing 80 years of age, nothing was broken or even sprained, I tell this tale because I still marvel at the first two wonderful helpers who cared for me in Olde Town. It was my impression that my helpers were from our homeless population. I support the City of Arvada’s efforts to find an appropriate location for a Navigation Center that will give a hand up to those in need. After all, isn’t this who we are and what we do as residents of Arvada.
Suzanne Sullivan, Arvada