AIDEN BROWN RECEIVES STAR OF LIFE AWARD

LIFE FORCE is excited to announce that along with Dekalb County 911, Dekalb County EMS, we have been recognized by TN Emergency Medical Services for Children (TNEMSC) as recipients of the Dr. Michael Carr Tennessee EMSC Star of Life Award. Last summer a boating accident almost took Aiden brown’s life, but thanks to the agencies above, Aiden is able to join us tonight to accept this award. See the full story below:

Last June, eight year-old Aiden Brown, his family, and friends were on Center Hill Lake enjoying their new pontoon boat. Aiden was sitting near the front of the boat and his mother, Julie, was sitting near the back of the boat watching Aiden. Julie turned to look at the tube that was being pulled behind the boat with someone on it. When she looked back for Aiden, he was gone.

They immediately shut down the engine and Aiden resurfaced about 10 feet behind the boat. His life vest was shredded and he was bleeding badly. Aiden’s father, Troy, dove in as the person on the tube began to swim to Aiden, too. They pulled him onto the boat and 911 was called. Fortunately the call was able to get out as most of the lake has bad reception.

Aiden’s face, head, and neck had been cut badly by the rotor on the boat. Along with lacerations to his face, he had an open wound that extended across his neck to his bottom lip, and an 8-inch laceration across his chest that exposed his heart and lungs. They used towels to apply pressure and do all they could to control the bleeding while driving as fast as they could to the closest marina.

When Dekalb County 911 received the call, they not only dispatched Dekalb County EMS to the marina, they also put LIFE FORCE 2 in Sparta on standby. As the family pulled into the marina, the ambulance was backing in. Troy carried Aiden to the ambulance and he and the EMS crew worked to control the bleeding while rushing to the nearest landing zone. LIFE FORCE 2 had just landed in the grassy area as the ambulance pulled up.

The LIFE FORCE 2 crew joined the EMS crew in working to stabilize Aiden. Within 26 minutes, his bleeding and airway were controlled, he was placed on a ventilator, under anesthesia, given pain medication and loaded into the back of the aircraft all through the efforts of Aiden’s dad, Dekalb County EMS, and LIFE FORCE.

During the 25-minute flight to Children's Hospital at Erlanger, Aiden received warmed blood and plasma and his vital signs and color began to improve. Once arriving at Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, Aiden went straight into the children’s trauma unit and was immediately evaluated by Pediatric Trauma Surgeon, Dr. Pete Kelley, and the pediatric trauma team. He was rushed to surgery where they repaired his open chest wounds including the heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and sternum. He was then taken to CT for evaluation of his head, neck, and facial injuries and returned to surgery where those were also repaired. During surgery, Aiden received four additional units of blood products and following surgery, was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.

The second day after surgery, Aiden was taken off the ventilator, his breathing tube was removed, and he was awake. On day three, he continued to improve and his right side chest drainage tube was removed. The fourth day after surgery, his left side drainage tube was removed and on day five, he started a liquid diet, taking medications by mouth and was moved out of PICU, into a normal room. On day eight, Aiden was discharged and returned home to Sparta with his family.

Aiden’s story is truly a miracle and last December, Aiden was named one of Children’s Hospital’s Miracle Children. Aiden is a strong young man who had a will to survive and he and his family continue to be an inspiration to us. We are honored to have been able to help him.