My “Why”: Finding Purpose in the Chaos and Giving Back to the First Responder Community

For many of us, the “why” behind choosing a career in emergency services is deeply personal. For me, my “why” began long before I was born. My mother is alive today because of the skill and quick action of EMS personnel.

At just 18 years old, she lost her leg in a motorcycle accident, and at 21, she was hit by a train in South Paris, Maine. Both times, EMS stabilized her and transported her to safety. Without their intervention, she wouldn’t have survived, and I wouldn’t even exist.

Growing up, my mom taught me strength, resilience, and patience. I have never known her without a prosthetic, but she never let it define her. At age nine, I saw her endure yet another life-altering accident when a driver hydroplaned into her at a red light, sending her car into an eight-foot ditch. She broke both her lumbar and cervical spine that day, and her long recovery was grueling, but she remained an inspiration to everyone around her.

My connection to EMS runs even deeper because of my own emergencies. At 14, I fell off a 40-foot cliff at Screw Auger Falls and was carried up a ravine to meet EMS at a gas station. At 16, a 10×2-inch beam struck the top of my head, leaving me with a serious concussion that complicated my breathing and required intubation. I was LifeFlighted to Maine Medical Center and placed in a chemically-induced coma for several days. In college, an asthma attack caused by chemical exposure left me unconscious. EMS personnel performed CPR and intubated me, saving my life once again.

These experiences taught me the importance of compassionate, skilled emergency response. They ignited a passion in me to serve my community and give back to the very system that had saved my life and the life of my mother.

But my “why” didn’t stop there.

As a first responder, I’ve come to see that the hardest battles we face aren’t just in the field—they’re within us. I was profoundly impacted by two funerals in our EMS community: Sawyer Coleman and Scott Latulippe, both of whom died by suicide. Their losses sent ripples through the first responder world, highlighting the urgent need for mental health awareness in our profession. These tragedies solidified my drive to create a platform to advocate for the mental health of first responders and to normalize seeking help.

This is why I started Mind Over Mayday. My blog is a space where first responders can explore their struggles, find resources, and reconnect with their purpose.

Your ‘why’ is your anchor. It’s the reason you keep going when the job feels too heavy, when burnout looms, or when the trauma you carry feels too much to bear. I invite you to reflect on your own “why.”

How to Reconnect with Your Why

1. Journaling Your Story:
   Write about the experiences that inspired you to serve. What moments stand out as reminders of why you continue?
2. Finding Purpose Beyond the Job:
   Volunteer, mentor, or participate in community outreach. Giving back in different ways can reignite your passion.
3. Prioritizing Your Mental Health:
   Attend workshops, connect with peer support programs, or talk to a professional.
4. Sharing Your Why:
   Share your story with others. Your “why” might inspire someone else to rediscover theirs.

First responders are heroes, but we’re also human. Together, we can support one another, honor our “why,” and build a culture that values both service and well-being.

What’s your story? Let’s start the conversation. Together, we can reignite the fire that drives us to serve.