1SG Jared D. Dowland; saving the world one person at a time
Chief Tango sends us a link to Stars & Stripes about First Sergeant Jared D. Dowland who took his family to a Belgian park for Easter when he was called to duty;
A young child, dripping wet, was surrounded by a crowd of people near the water’s edge as someone pressed on the boy’s stomach.
“You have to do something,” said Dowland’s wife, Marie. “Get over there and save him.”
Dowland said he found the boy unconscious and not breathing, his skin pale.
“Everything about this boy’s appearance told me he was dead, he was in the water too long before he was discovered, and that reviving him was probably not possible,” Dowland said.
As those thoughts raced through his head, Dowland said he fell back on his training, employing life-saving techniques learned years ago as a new recruit. He started chest compressions, followed by a breath of air.
“I pinched his nose and the first breath was hard to force in,” Dowland said. “Then I instructed the father to push, so that he could do the compressions.”
Not to be a spoiler, but Top Dowland beat Death that day;
Dowland visited the boy later in the night at the hospital and again the next day.
He learned the youngster’s name was Mahmud.
“The father kissed me on both cheeks,” Dowland said. “It was very emotional.”
Category: Real Soldiers
How wonderful! I needed a happy story and I can’t imagine a better one.
Great work, Top!
This is the kind of TAH story I live for! First Sergeant Jared D. Dowland is a hero in book! That little fella is alive because Dowland didn’t give up…ever. Kudos and Bravo Zulu Top! Way to go.
HH6 ordered, the First Shirt complied, everything was riki tik.
Thank You, Lord, for wives. 🙂
Jared and I were Drill Sergeant battle buddies! I knew my mentoring would pay off. j/k
JBS is telling the truth: We were Drill Sergeants together. Once he told me, “You need to learn this stuff, you don’t want to be a third year Drill Sergeant still confused about what you’re supposed to be doing.” See, I have a good memory. Thanks to everyone else for your kind words.
1SG Dowland
Thanks for dropping by, 1SG, I’d rather write a thousand posts like your story than anything else.
Way to go Top. Love the wife’s statement.
“You have to do something,” said Dowland’s wife, Marie. “Get over there and save him.”
All it takes is one person who cares to make a difference.
1SG Dowland, YOU are that one person. Thank you for all that you are and all that you do.
I love reading posts like this, great job!
It’s a damn shame that stories such as this aren’t blasted out on main stream media like all the stories of the shitbag soldiers/veterans. Good save though 1SG.