Anderson Cooper hosts his annual CNN Heroes award show where we television viewers get to witness amazing acts of kindness that affect many people around the world. Here at home, as we live our daily lives, we also meet heroes and guardian angels, who wouldn’t have a clue as to why we’re addressing them with such admiration. I call them “Angels in Everyday Places.” One person immediately comes to mind.
Her Northshore YMCA co-workers light up and blurt out, “She’s awesome, she’s really great,” when referring to their teammate, Peggy Kush.
They didn’t even have to express these thoughts, as I experienced Peggy’s calming and reassuring personality first hand.
One day, a friend of mine fell while working out at the Y. I was swimming, per usual, when Peggy calmly motioned me to the side of the pool to tell me what had happened. She noticed the panicky look on my face, quietly reassured me that everything was OK, and that I certainly didn’t have to rush out of the pool. She kept me grounded, setting off no alarms whatsoever.
Peggy says that all YMCA staff members are well-prepared to respond to emergencies quickly and thoroughly. They learn first aid and CPR and within seconds, grab the emergency kit, and check the light that indicates the location of the situation.
I recall my first personal experience with this competent YMCA staff:
A few years back, I felt faint while swimming in the pool (not a great place to do this!) and was helped out. A staff member quickly assessed my condition and fed me spoonfuls of peanut butter in the locker room. This immediately helped my light-headedness. What I didn’t realize, however, was that the staff also had called for medics. Soon I was surrounded, having my finger pricked to test blood-sugar levels, as the women in the locker room all wondered what two uniformed men were doing there. The YMCA team worked like a well-oiled machine that day.
Peggy advises of life-saving classes taught at the YMCA, “Anyone can take the CPR class at the YMCA for a fee,” and adds, “It’s well worth it. You never know when you could help save someone’s life.”
Since the old rules for CPR have changed recently, this might be a good refresher course to take.
The Bothell Fire Department offers, at no cost, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) classes, which Peggy has also taken. These classes have enhanced her knowledge when responding to medical situations. CERT instructors teach how to treat airway obstructions, bleeding and shock. Participants learn triage and first aid, along with disaster preparedness.
As I jokingly announced to several YMCA staff members, ” If I’m ever in trouble again, I want Peggy to rescue me,” they nodded their heads in agreement.
However, I realize that the entire staff would come running, prepared and ready to respond.
Although Peggy is well-versed in emergency response, to me the designation of “Angels in Everyday Places” has more to do with a genuine caring for others, a trait that comes from within. Our community deeply benefits from true angels like Peggy Kush, a leader by example and a model for the YMCA’s superb preparedness.
Suzanne G. Beyer is a Bothell resident.
