This time, Tom Grady was glad to see Scott Jough vertical.
The last time the two saw each other, they shared an ambulance ride to Berkshire Medical Center from Tanglewood, where Berkshire County Sheriff’s Deputy Grady had performed CPR to save the life of the 40-year-old New Jersey real estate agent who had just been struck by lightning.
The two were reunited under much happier circumstances May 15, 2009, where Mr. Jough and his family joined in honoring Grady and the other deputies from the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Uniform Division who received “Save” Awards during the Emergency Medical Services of Berkshire County annual dinner and awards ceremony at the Pittsfield Elks Lodge.
“Over these last several months, I kept telling Scott that I would like to meet him standing up,” said Grady, a 27-year EMT who has maintained regular communication with the Jough family since the incident. “It was a joy to see that family together and enjoying life.”
Also honored from the Uniform Division, for their roles including First Aid, crowd and traffic control, radio communications and transportation, were Deputies Michael Garvey, David Lein, Francis Metivier, Anthony Sinico and Carl Bolio. Mr. Jough presented the Save awards to each of them.
Mr. Jough, whose original injuries included burns from the lightning, a ruptured eardrum, partial loss of hearing, taste and balance, said his only lingering physical issue is numbness in his feet.
One lingering issue that he welcomes, however, is his ongoing relationship with Grady, whom he describes as “an inspiration to me.”
“Meeting Mr. Grady was as though we already knew each other,” Mr. Jough said. “Finally getting to see him face to face was an absolute thrill. He’s a friend for life.”
“This type of incident creates a bond because you are able to see the results of the training and teamwork that prepares us for an event like this,” Grady said. “Many times we never get to see what the effects of our efforts have on someone.”
“The response to that incident on that day was nothing short of miraculous, as the outcome has shown,” Grady said. “Each of those involved responded and maintained control as chaos was surrounding them. This allowed us as a team to perform our duties in a way which, on that particular day, turned what could have been a very tragic outcome into a wonderful story of survival.”