GUERNSEY COUNTY, Ohio — On July 3, a family was traveling east on Interstate 70, planning to spend the Fourth of July in Washington, DC.
But then fate struck.
Charles Carter Jr. suffered a heart attack on the side of the highway. Four police officers from the St. Clairsville station arrived and brought him back to life.
Officers TJ White and Hunter Mahoney were the first responders on the scene of a crash near Exit 202. When they arrived, Carter collapsed and his heart rate dropped.
The police officers immediately began CPR. An ambulance and other units were called. Sergeants Scott Moore and Rocky Hise used an AED and saved Carter’s life.
“These guys are my angels,” Carter said. “I had no idea that on July 3rd, on my way to vacation, I would see angels. But I did. And when I woke up, they were there. They saved my life and I will never forget them.”
The soldiers received a Medal of Honor for their actions, but for all of them, the true reward is seeing Carter alive and well.
“The last time I saw Mr. Carter, he was clinging to his life and to see him here just means the world to me,” Hise said.
“It’s not just about the award,” White said. “We’re just happy that we were able to save a life that day. He has a big family, so it touched a lot more lives than just a few.”
The officers credited their training with saving Carter’s life through quick action and teamwork. But for Carter, his life wasn’t just saved, it was changed.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he said. “You saved my life. There’s no getting around it. In the right place at the right time.”
“The Lord spared me for a reason. He put her in my life for a reason. And that is to share love and make sure people understand that we are all in this together. There is not just one man or one woman. We are a group. As long as we remember that, we will benefit as a country and as people.”
The Carter family said they will never be able to fully express their gratitude for the soldiers’ life-saving actions, but their lives will forever be linked to the events of July 3.
