| Susie Percy and Field Rider |
Nothing quite prepares you for getting that call that unbalances you. For me it was Mike Poirier from Cumberland County Dispatch (911) telling me that Field was pinned under a tree in our back woods but was going to be ok, rescue was on the way to him. Mike let me know how Field was doing, who was on the way, what to expect once I got to Gloucester Hill Road, and kept me focused on getting home safely. Mike was my first hero of what was a very long day.
Field has two broken bones in his lower right leg. Surgery happened Sunday afternoon at Maine Medical Center. And he’s back home in a splint cast and crutches. And a lot of hanging out for the next two months.
That is the extent of his injuries due to the immediate response from our New Gloucester Community. With Field’s call to Mike at 911, they were able to guide the New Gloucester medical crew to his location in the woods. (Yay for cell phones and carrying them!) Everyone who was needed and might be needed came without hesitation. Field received excellent medical attention from the rescue team while under the tree. He had a crew figuring out how to get the tree off him. His rescuers pulled him up a steep embankment in a sled and put him on a UTV. From there it was up the path to the waiting ambulance who whisked him away.
Field and I cannot begin to thank our larger community enough for being heroes. While everyone might say they were just doing their jobs, it is really much more than that. Field and I both received kindness, reassurance, and professional attention from all the rescue team starting with the call to 911. Our neighbors and friends were there to help coordinate getting the tractor up from the woods, the Jeep put away, and our pets well comforted while we were gone. They too, were there simply to help in any way they could.
It has been incredible to be on the receiving end of such professional service, generosity, and genuine care for us both. We feel extraordinarily lucky to live amongst all of you as neighbors and friends. You all are our heroes. Thank you.
— Susie Percy and Field Rider
