My Hero

Roni commented on Aaron being a hero and so I thought I would post an article that I think she was talking about.


Sweetgrass Rescue(07/18/2008) The United States Border Patrol has maintained a legacy of honor and achievement spanning 84 years and multiple generations of agents. This legacy is sustained and moved forward by the current generation of Border Patrol agents who so frequently make immense contributions to the public good. The actions of Sweetgrass, Montana Border Patrol agents on June 20, 2008 serve as a case in point. At approximately 10:30 a.m., the Sweetgrass station received a request for assistance from the Toole County Sheriff’s Department (TCSD) concerning a hiker who had suffered an apparent heat attack while hiking in the rugged Sweetgrass Hills. The hiker contacted the TCSD and advised that he was lost, had suffered a heart attack, and was stranded. Immediately after receiving the call, Sweetgrass Border Patrol agents Curtis Logan, Leon Peterson, Jerry Benge, Aaron Heaton and Lead Border patrol Agent Obadiah Rouse responded to the area and began to search for the hiker on foot. Supervisory Border Patrol Agents John M. Miller and Mike Nice responded from the Sweetgrass Station on ATVs. Within 25 minutes of receiving the call, SBPAs Miller and Nice were on scene and accessed the rugged terrain on their ATVs. Shortly after, they located the injured hiker on a steep butte and observed that he was suffering the obvious signs of a heart attack. SBPAs Miller and Nice immediately rendered first aid, stabilized the subject, returned to the staging area to pick up EMS personnel and transported them back up to the injured subject. Upon their arrival, EMS personnel began treating the subject and called for a Life Flight helicopter. While awaiting the arrival of the Life Flight, agents once again drove their ATVs back to the staging area, retrieved additional life saving equipment, and returned to the scene. Although the Life Flight arrived shortly after, it was unable to land in the immediate area due to rough terrain. Ultimately, the helicopter landed over 200 yards away, which amounted to a 30 to 45 minute hike on foot. The agents managed to use the ATVs to bring the subject to the Life Flight helicopter, where he was air lifted to a hospital in Great Falls, Montana. It was later confirmed that the subject had a heart attack and he immediately underwent surgery to relieve major heart blockage. There is little doubt that the actions of these Sweetgrass Border Patrol agents saved the injured hiker’s life. Thankfully, the victim is expected to make a full recovery based in large part on the actions of Sweetgrass Border Patrol agents. If not for their quick response, knowledge of the area, and dedication to duty the outcome would have likely been tragic.