MEDORA — The actions of three members of the Carr Township Fire Rescue who responded to a severe medical emergency that ultimately to saving the life of Kregori Wilson on April 11 were recently recognized.

“I had to do something special,” Fire Chief Joe Barnes said of the efforts of Firefighter Missy Robinson, Firefighter Logan Miser, who also is the department’s public information officer, and Assistant Chief Dave Freeman.

Barnes presented each with a plaque, dedicated to their service that day during a celebration on Thursday evening at the fire station at 59 S. Perry St. in this small town in southwestern Jackson County.

Robinson and Wilson shared an emotional embrace after she received her plaque, shedding some tears in each other’s arms.

“We’ll be lifelong friends now,” Robinson said.

Unbeknownst to Barnes and everyone else at the station, Indiana District 44 Senator Eric Koch, R-Bedford, went “off-script” as he put it.

“I have with me three challenge coins from the state of Indiana — the Indiana Senate — for those who, tonight, we recognize for their heroism,” Koch said.

The coins are used to honor military, government officials and acts of heroism, he said.

After some brief words from Barnes and Koch, Wilson opened a gift from the fire department. In the gift bag, Wilson opened presents to memorialize April 11 including a keychain that read, “Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come and all the battles you have won and all of the fears you have overcome.”

“You’re the real hero,” Robinson told Wilson as she helped him open his gift.

“… because you never quit fighting,” she said.

The audience went into an uproar of applause at the last gift in the bag, a T-shirt that said, “ANNND… I’M BACK.”

Robinson described Wilson’s condition as a miracle. According to her, only 17% of those that receive CPR survive, and in Wilson’s case, he survived with no neurological deficits.

“All the odds were stacked against him — he should not be here,” said Robinson who is a registered nurse

Some of the factors Robinson attributed to Wilson’s survival was him having no heart history issues and way the person with Wilson at the time, Sandra Conley, handled the situation.

Conley, Wilson’s partner, said that on the day of his medical episode, they had returned from a trip to Indianapolis.

She said she had a bad feeling that she could not quite place, so she decided to stay home instead of going to work. Wilson had been acting weak and after using the restroom, he “had a faraway look in his eye” and went limp. That is when she called 911.

“I want to forget (that day), but I can’t,” Conley said. “Then again, I don’t wanna forget because it was a life-changing day for him, a life-changing day for me, and here we are today thanks to Missy — she didn’t give up.”

When the team was treating Wilson, Robinson said that he was having “agonal aspirations” — gasping, trying to desperately breathe — which occurs just before death. She said that although she had performed CPR thousands of times and the process was nothing new to her, in this situation, she was nervous.

“Typically, you switch off (die) after two rounds of CPR,” Robinson said, “and I said, ‘no way.’”

She continued her efforts to resuscitate Wilson just as he kept fighting to live. When the team left Wilson’s house to take him to the Schneck Medical Center, he had a pulse, but was still unconscious. The uncertainty of his survival was still looming in the air. When they arrived at the ER, Miser, Robinson’s son, texted her to let her know Wilson was responsive.

“God’s not done with you yet,” Robinson said about Wilson. “He’s got a plan.”