It’s Thanksgiving. The fire is burning in the fire place, football is on the TV and the bird is in the oven. I’m in New Jersey with my family, and all is well. The way would not be complete without talking about and recognizing the people and things that I’m thankful for.
My Family — As some of you may know, I’m an only child. Shocking, right? As a result, I am extremely close with my parents. Over the years, they’ve helped me become the person that I am, taught me to be the best EMT and Paramedic that I can be, and they have supported me through every decision I’ve made in my life, good or bad.
Joe and Amy Francis — Joe was my roommate in college for three years, and I have considered him my best friend ever since. He’s helped me through many, many crises in my life, and shared some of my best memories. Three years ago, he and his wife Amy brought into the world their son Thomas. They were the first in our group of friends to have a kid, and he was, as a result, adopted by all of us. I don’t know where I’d be without Joe and his family.
Emily — A few of you have met her. She’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met and she doesn’t realize it. Although she might not be at her best right now, I am proud of her, and will always stand by her no matter what. There are few people that I care about more than her.
Natalie — We’ve both been through some tough times over the last couple of months, and frankly, I couldn’t imagine dealing with any of it without her friendship. She always brings a smile to my face, and always knows the right thing to say. She’s a strong, beautiful woman with a huge heart. I’m proud to call her my friend.
Ted, Justin, Mark and the whole Chronicles of EMS Team — Never in my life would I have expected to be part of a community lead by a group as strong and amazing as these guys. They’ve been amazing. I can’t wait until Baltimore in March to create even more memories.
RJ, April, Brad, and the countless others I met in Dallas — You’ve truly become my friends. Its amazing the friendships that can grow out of 140 characters and four days of good times at a conference, isn’t it? You guys are the best.
My job… no, my career — I love EMS. No matter what I do, or where I go, it always courses through my veins and is constantly on my mind. I am not the best paramedic, but I think I’m pretty damn good at what I do. Those abilities have opened up doors and opportunities for me and kept things fresh and new.
Patrick Leonardo — Yes, you, Patrick. As we’ve both learned and grown over the last year, I feel like you’ve become my partner in crime. We’ve got a lot of opportunities sitting right in front of us this year. Lets take advantage of it!
Kyle David Bates — Thanks for including me in your shows, and helping me find my “voice.” Public speaking has never been my thing, and frankly, quite often its terrified me. You’ve been a big part of helping me get over that. Thanks for everything!
All of my readers and Social Media Friends — You inspire me to keep writing. The comments and retweets and great emails that I get are what help me keep going. Things might get slow from time to time, but I promise all of you that I will keep the ideas and posts coming.
Quite honestly, I could go on and on for hours. There are so many people who have touched my life and helped me grow over the last year. The problem I have right now is the appetizers are hitting the table! I hope each and every one of you has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!