Real Heroes: Deputies Saved Suicidal People From Death

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    Editor’s note: The Mount Rainier chapter of the American Red Cross held its annual Real Heroes Breakfast last Tuesday, honoring members of the community whose actions during emergencies or in the face of an ongoing need have helped improve the lives of others.

   Over the past week The Chronicle has been highlighting the men and women honored by the Red Cross for their efforts in saving lives in Lewis and Thurston counties.

Deputies Matt Schlecht and Brady Taylor

Lewis County Sheriff’s Office

    On May 25, 2009, Deputy Matt Schlecht and Deputy Gabe Frase were searching for an emotionally distraught man who was planning to end his life. After an exhaustive search using GPS technology, they were able to find the man’s truck.

    Schlecht saw the unconscious man in the cab with the engine running. The deputy called for medics and used his flashlight to break the window of the locked cab and pull the man outside. As he regained consciousness, the man complained that he wanted to go to sleep — but Schlecht kept him awake and encouraged him to take deep breaths of fresh air as they waited for the medics.



    A few months later, on Nov. 7, Deputy Brady Taylor and Deputy Jeff Humphrey were looking for an emotionally upset woman. This woman told her husband she “would not be a problem anymore.” She had been saved from a life-threatening situation on a previous occasion, when her location had been tracked by her cell phone. But this time, the woman had removed its battery. That meant that all the deputies could do was drive up and down the roads searching for her van.

    Deputy Taylor found the van with its engine running. The woman inside appeared unresponsive. He found the rear hatch unlocked and crawled into the van, despite the danger he faced from the carbon monoxide. He was able to rouse the woman sufficiently for her to obey his command and open the door. Deputy Taylor then got her out of the van and into fresh air as medics sped to the scene.

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    Tomorrow: Kail and Kain Homan, two boys who saved their mother from a life-threatening episode caused by diabetes.