CHARLOTTE — Reginald Lamon says it’s a beautiful thing when you can save someone’s life.
It was after a January snow storm last year in a Charlotte Department of Transpiration (CDOT) lot that he sprung into action to help a co-worker named Billy, who started choking during a lunch break.
“He was like, ‘give me a second,’ and all this. I’m like, wait a minute. Then I noticed he went down and he turned red from his neck going up,” said Lamon. “You can see it turned red, so I jumped out the truck, got in action, leaned him over, gave him a couple of whacks on his back.”
Lamon says his co-worked bounced back.
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“I told Billy, ‘I wanted you around a little longer, and the Lord wanted you around a little longer.’ So, Billy’s a great guy, and he’s, that’s my man,” said Lamon.
That rescue was recently recognized by the American Red Cross. Lamon received a medal and Certificate of Merit for his selfless action, but he credits CDOT Safety Manager Steve Whittem for providing the tools he needed to do it.
“Actually, Reginald and Billy were in the same class together,” Whittem said.
Since 2023, Whittem says CDOT has partnered with the Red Cross to train its workers on life-threatening injuries, teaching them techniques on how to help someone who is choking, and how to help someone in cardiac arrest.
CDOT purchased six AEDs and placed them at their facilities so crews are trained on how to use them in the event of emergency.
Whittem says classes are monthly, and Lamon is proof that it’s making a difference.
“You may feel scared, you’re going to be, you’re going to be anxious,” Whittem said. “I’m sure Reginald was anxious, but he jumped in and helped, and that’s what counts.”
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