Colin Wall, a volunteer firefighter and former EMT, used CPR to revive an unresponsive man while picking up equipment just before Christmas

By Libby Queguiner
The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — What began as a routine service call just days before Christmas turned into a life-saving act of heroism for Dragoon’s Farm Equipment technician Colin Wall.

Colin was dispatched to pick up a Cub Cadet tractor from a customer’s home, an assignment he wouldn’t normally have taken. The shop’s regular driver had just left for the day, and Service Manager Rick Bosley asked Colin to step in. That unexpected change in plans would soon prove critical.

When Colin arrived at the customer’s garage, he immediately felt something was wrong.

As he stepped inside, his eyes began to burn. On the floor, he saw the homeowner, Thomas Brown, lying unresponsive. Colin quickly checked for breathing and a pulse. There were none. Relying on his previous experience as an EMT and his current role as a volunteer firefighter with the Ellenburg Fire Department, Colin immediately began CPR. His quick actions revived Thomas, restoring his breathing. Once Thomas regained respirations, Colin alerted Thomas’s wife, and 911 was called.

Emergency responders arrived and took over care, and Thomas was transported for further medical treatment. Thanks to Colin’s fast thinking and training, what could have been a tragic outcome became a true Christmas miracle.

Not long after, Thomas Brown stopped by Dragoon’s Farm Equipment in person to express his gratitude. He thanked Colin for saving his life and also recognized Service Manager Rick Bosley for sending Colin on the call that day — a decision that made all the difference.

As the holiday season reminds us of hope, compassion and the importance of looking out for one another, this remarkable story stands as a powerful reminder that heroes often appear when we least expect them, sometimes in the form of a technician answering an unexpected service call.

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