Fire Crews Rescue Man Having Heart Attack, Return To Lay His Sod

HUDSON, FL – Their duty was to simply transport a critically ill patient to the hospital.

However, members of Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 10 at 7918 Rhodes Road, Hudson, went far beyond the call of duty Saturday, July 7. And now their good deed has gone viral on Facebook.

Station 10 fire rescue personnel were called to the Bayonet Point home Gene and Melissa Ann Work for a medical emergency. Gene Work had been in the process of laying new sod in his yard when he suffered a massive heart attack.

“We had just received our last four pallets (of sod) and were going to finish it,” said Melissa Ann Work. “It's been my husband's biggest stress as our HOA date to fine us a huge amount was getting closer.”

Suddenly, he was doubled over in pain. Melissa Ann Work said she knew right away he was having a heart attack and immediately called 911.

She was later told by doctors that her quick actions saved her 40-year-old husband's life.

"His whole right coronary artery was completely clogged," she said. "They said if I had waited a few more minutes to call 911, he would have died."

While Melissa Ann Work worried about her husband's survival, he was concerned about his sod surviving.

“While he was having his heart attack, literally in and out of consciousness, he kept begging me to figure out the sod and have it put down because he didn't want it to go to waste and die,” said Melissa Ann Work. “It's ALL he kept asking about literally during a massive heart attack. I calmed him and kept saying, ‘Jesus will help us. It's OK. Jesus will figure this out, babe.’"

While the Works headed for the hospital, Melissa Ann Work’s brother-in-law, Mark Rouco of Pinellas Park, who had been helping Gene Work lay the sod, stayed behind to finish the work.

“He was planning on staying there by himself until midnight to get it finished,” Melissa Work said. “As he was laying it, he heard huge trucks driving back down the road. He turned around and saw the fire truck and ambulance had come back. He was confused and thought they were coming to check on him. Before he knows it, seven firefighters and EMTs jumped out, put on gloves and said they came back because they knew Gene was in serious trouble and they wanted to lay the new sod so it didn't die. They knew he wouldn't be able to do any work for weeks so they came back.”

Just as she’d promised her husband, a battalion of angels had come through to save the day.

“They saved his life, dropped him off and then cared enough to save our grass,” said Melissa Work in a Facebook post that’s now gone viral with 27,432 Shares and more than 38,000 views.

“They didn't know our HOA was going to fine us," she said. "They didn't know that this guy's wife (me) is about to fight for my own life during my bone marrow transplant next month. They didn't know that my husband pawned his favorite gun to pay for the sod that he thought was going to die. They didn't know all we have been through as a little family. They simply saw someone in need, and did this for us. This wasn't in their job description. We have no words.”

It's all in a day's work, said Pasco County firefighter Boyd Marshal.

"We went back to the fire station and started talking abut it and agreed it won't take us that long to lay the rest of the sod," said Marshal. "We'll just knock it out real quick."

Melissa Ann Work said her husband had a stent put in to relieve the obstruction and has a long road to recovery. But, she added, he's resting so much easier knowing that his sod won't die, thanks to Station 10.

Now back home, Gene Work recalls his reaction when he wife showed him the photos of the firefighters laying the remainder of his sod.

"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I got choked up."

Gene Work got a chance to thank the firefighters personally Tuesday, July 10 when he, Melissa Ann and their two children paid a surprise visit to Station 10.

Images via Melissa Ann Work

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