Page 4 - Ft. Huachuca Scout 6-19-15
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4A The Scout FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015
Hero son receives award for saving father
Story and photo by Lisa Tourtelot When the approximately 20-pound pack Staggs To learn more about how to spot the symptoms of
was carrying began to feel closer to 50 pounds, he a heart attack and what to do if you suspect a heart
Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center was forced to ask his son to carry the extra weight. attack, visit heart.org.
December 2014 found a father-son duo on an ex- Jacob did more than carry the extra weight for his -DFRE6WDJJVOHIWVKRZVRIIKLV&HUWL¿FDWHRI$SSUHFLDWLRQIRU
tended hike that almost turned deadly in the Dragoon father. Patriotic Civilian Service with his father, Lt. Col. Robert Staggs
Mountains in southeastern Arizona. following a brief ceremony at the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health
“He was encouraging me the entire way out,” said &HQWHU0D\-DFREDFWHGDV¿UVWUHVSRQGHUZKHQKLVIDWKHU
Thanks to the diligence and hard work of then- Staggs. “Without that encouragement, that would suffered a heart attack during a hike, helping him get down the
14-year-old Jacob Staggs, Lt. Col. Robert Staggs, have been tough. If I had to rest, he would wait on me trail and to medical assistance safely.
chief of primary care at the Raymond W. Bliss Army and then encourage me to get back up.”
Health Center and Jacob’s father, made it safely down
the trail and later to medical aid. They stopped to rest and hydrate every 20 to 30
yards before finally making it back to their vehicle.
As a salute to Jacob’s efforts, the Raymond W. Still not convinced he was having a heart attack,
Bliss Army Health Center Medical Company pre- Staggs drove himself and his son home before finally
sented him a Certificate of Appreciation for Patriotic conceding and calling emergency medical services.
Civilian Service in a ceremony at the health center
May 21. In the face of a significant physical challenge and
knowing his father was suffering a serious medical
“It’s weird knowing that I did something so major emergency, Jacob stayed strong.
and that I possibly saved his life,” said Jacob. “[This
award] was really unexpected.” “It [felt like] paranoia that something was wrong,
but at the same time not letting myself succumb to
Staggs began feeling the symptoms of a heart at- that. [I had to] think positively and realize that it’s not
tack 3.5 miles into the hike, including chest pains, really going to help me to think too much about it,”
muscle cramps and fatigue. Assuming is was dehy- said Jacob.
dration, Staggs suggested he and Jacob stop for a few
moments to rest, eat and rehydrate. “Obviously I’m proud of him,” said Staggs. “He
stepped up in a mature way and was calm and [stuck]
Recovery would not be that easy, however. When to his training. We went through wilderness survival,
his symptoms did not abate and without cellphone which covers heart attacks and wilderness medicine.
reception, the pair agreed to hike back down to the We went through both of those courses and he uti-
trailhead. lized those skills.”
They had to descend 6,000 feet and more than 3 Staggs recently returned to full duty at the health
miles while, unbeknownst to either, Staggs suffered center and was proudly present to see his son receive
a heart attack. the award.
