WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — A West Valley City man was in the right place at the right time recently when he was able to use his lifesaving skills when he least expected.
Sam Falauhola is an emergency medical technician with the University of Utah Emergency Department who says his job is often unpredictable.
“Nothing's ever the same, nothing ever, you'll never see the same thing twice.” he said.
Those rules extend to when Falauhola off the clock.
He had just finished church on Jan. 15 when a woman walked up and said there had been a been a bad car accident outside the Kearns house of worship. Without a second thought, Falauhola headed outside.
“Walked out there, saw the vehicles and there was a gentleman there who was standing by the vehicle with two children in the back seat and a father in the front seat,” he explained.
Police say Semir Lilic's family was hit by an alleged drunk driver. He and his son are recovering from injuries, but Lilic's 5-year-old, Lennyn, was severely injured.
At the scene, Falauhola immediately checked on the family and described those first moments with the young girl.
"...checked for a pulse, she did not have one. And so I went ahead and opened her airway. Felt for a pulse again and within the first five seconds, she had one,” he said.
Falauhola helped her hang on for just a bit longer before she was transported the hospital where she died a week later after being taken off life support.
“It happened at church, my family was all gone," said Falauhola. "I was the only one there still. So I don't know, I kind of feel like the Lord just kind of placed me in the right place to be used at the right time.”
Weeks later, the tragic scene still lingers in his mind.
“I don't think you truly ever get over these calls," he said. "There's people from our church that were also involved that came out ... they all followed me out, and so just talking through it with them as well, [it] just really, you know, really meant the world and all.
"So I think talking about it helps.”
Semir Lilic had hoped to get in touch with Falauhola and the two are meeting Saturday.
“It was really touching to hear that they wanted to reach out. Just to be able to offer him a shoulder to lean on," Falauhola said. "I imagine it'll be an emotional encounter when we first meet. But, yeah, I'm very excited to be able to see him and to be able to meet him and ask how his son's doing.”
