EUSTIS, Fla. (WFLA) — When a tragic incident took place on Sunday, a flight nurse and her police officer fiancé found themselves perfectly positioned to offer critical assistance.
The couple was at their residence in Eustis when a neighbor arrived in panic, reporting that her 5-year-old son had discovered a gun and accidentally shot himself in the head, as reported by NBC affiliate WESH.
“We were both asleep, and she’s like, ‘My baby’s been shot,’” said the nurse, who asked not to be identified.
In an instant, the nurse, who specializes in providing care to patients during emergency air transport, went into work mode.
“I grab him from the dad and put him on the car and start assessing injuries; I see his head, put pressure on the wounds,” she said.
Immediately, she told her fiancé to retrieve a medical kit from his police cruiser. He assisted by providing supplies and contacting 911 while she administered aid to the injured child.
“I called my dispatch and said I needed a helicopter, and they’re like, ‘We’re on the phone, we’re getting them to you’,” the nurse said.
The boy was flown to Arnold Palmer Hospital, where he underwent surgery. As of Tuesday, he remained in critical condition, according to the Eustis Police Department.
A police report obtained by WESH said the boy’s wound appeared to be self-inflicted.
Both parents were frantic when police arrived, but officers conducted interviews with them and the boy’s sister. The family told police they typically store their firearms on the top shelf of a bedroom closet in their original manufacturer lock boxes.
The family “believed that [redacted] should not have had access to the weapons, and that he normally slept in the same room with his father,” an officer wrote in the report.
Police said Tuesday there had been no charges filed, and no arrests made. However, the investigation remained active. The Eustis police chief asked that the community keep the child in their thoughts and prayers.
“It’s going to be a long time before life is normal but I’m hoping it will be shorter than longer,” the nurse told WESH.
