Angels truly do walk among us. Speeding to the aid of those in need. They are the men and women who hide their wings in jumpsuits. They are the brave and dedicated paramedics at ER24.
Paramedics are individuals who sacrifice their time, their very lives to help those who are fighting for their lives in a time of crisis. ER24 paramedics, Warren Prins, Margery Meijerink, Johan Neethling and Angel Cebekhulu are four such individuals who have become the heroes of many.
Margery joined ER24 in 2012, followed by Angel in 2014, Warren in 2017 and then Johan in 2018.
But how did these men and women become paramedics? What led them to a career which sees them shun their social lives, the comfort of their beds and so much more for others?
“I initially wanted to become a pilot,” Warren says. Dreaming of flying, he started the relevant process. However, his dream was unfortunately brought back to earth.
“I was too short to become a pilot. I then started volunteering at the local ambulance services,” he says. It is a choice which immediately saw him find his true passion. He went through the ranks, studying relentlessly and officially qualifying in 2017.
Margery laughs and explains she initially intended to go into law, either as a prosecutor or a police officer. Even going as far as to sign up at the Magistrate’s Court in Greytown and being accepted into the police.
But, one day, as she was typing out a file at the magistrate’s court, she was asked a question that would change her life forever.
“A traffic officer came in and said, you look beautiful behind the typewriter, but do you enjoy what you are doing?”
It was then that she realised, she didn’t enjoy what she was doing. The traffic officer suggested she join the ambulance service and introduced her to the relevant people.
“I fell in love with it and I started in Empangeni, before eventually coming to Newcastle. I then started the first ambulance service in town 31 years ago, taking it over from the Red Cross.”
Angel laughs and says she wanted to be a police officer. But a twist of fate saw her working at Cash Build. “One festive season, I decided this isn’t what I wanted to do, and I resigned. People then started asking me what I was going to do. Eventually, I got tired of the questioning and said I was going to become a paramedic.”
She started volunteering at Netcare and fell in love with it. She immediately began studying and qualified.
Johan says he intended to follow in his father’s footsteps, being a public servant and protecting people. “One day, someone asked me, who would help my dad when I wasn’t with him. This got me thinking. I then lost a good friend in an accident and this was the awakening point for me.”
What do they enjoy about their careers?
Warren explains what stands out for him, is how each day is different. Through this, he is able to meet an array of different people and make a positive impact on their lives.
Margery says she enjoys the fact that each day is a challenge. “You never know what and where you are going to go to. But the best part is going to bed at night and knowing you made a difference in someone’s life.”
Angel agrees and says while you need to sleep with one eye open for in case of emergencies, being able to save lives makes being a paramedic a rewarding career.
For Johan, it is the lights and sirens. “Being able to rush to people’s aid is what I enjoy most about it.”
What is the most rewarding part of being a paramedic?
Margery says when they administer CPR and it is successful and having a person come and thank them. “I once had someone come to thank me 13 years after I assisted them. You don’t always get the thanks immediately, but it makes everything worthwhile.”
Angel, Warren and Johan agree.
“People never forget your face when you help them,” Angel emphasises.
Johan concurs with a short story. “Warren and I once needed to transport a baby who was critical. Ages later, a woman stopped us and thanked us for what we did. When I looked at Warren, he reminded me it was the mother of the child. There he was walking around, all happy.”
However, their career is not all sunshine and roses. Paramedics face overwhelming challenges at times. The hardest part of their careers involving the death of children, suicide victims and needing to declare someone dead on a scene. Because of this, they urge people to savour their time with loved ones, always taking time to listen and never push a person away.
What advice can they give to those who wish to pursue a career as a paramedic?
Angel says one should never do it for money. “You need to have a passion for wanting to help people. You don’t always save them with medicine, but there are times you save them with your hands.”
Warren jokes and says being single does help, but one needs to put into consideration everything you will need to give up to become a paramedic. “You gain a lot of valuable experience, but it is also very stressful. It is almost like driving a car. Everything is hunky dory when things are going well, but there are times when things will go bad and you must persevere. There are times when you think a person will make it through but then they don’t, whereas there are people who you think won’t make it but they do. It is a rewarding job, but it is difficult.”
With these men and women making it their life mission to help those in need, the Newcastillian and Pixelfish Marketing thanks you and salutes you.
Your efforts are truly appreciated and we hope the community shows their gratitude to you all, for what you do for us.
