When sheriff’s deputy Michael Valenzuela arrived at Three Mile at about 3 p.m. Friday, June 21, in response to a report of a man down with no pulse and not breathing, he saw a large crowd gathered around a vehicle near the front door, a man on the ground, two men crouched over him.
Today, Boundary County Sheriff David Kramer presented one of those men, Three Mile cook and a brand new North Bench Firefighter still in training Nicholas Ege, a life saving award “for decisive action while saving a life.” The second man, David Miller, wasn’t able to attend the presentation but will pick his award up later. The man they saved, Irvin Sobry, Creston, B.C., wanted to be there to express his gratitude, but he’s not yet well enough to travel. He asked Kramer to convey his thanks.
Miller was inside the store when Sobry’s wife, Evelyn, burst in, screaming for help. He ran outside, saw Irvin slumped over in the driver’s seat, not breathing. He checked for a pulse and found none, and without hesitation pulled him from the vehicle and initiated CPR. In moments, Ege joined him and Sobry drew breath and regained a pulse. Officers arrived and cleared the crowd, then Boundary Ambulance medics were on scene.
“I firmly believe that if it were not for the quick action of Miller and Ege, this would have had a very different outcome,” Valenzuela wrote in his report, which he concluded by “respectfully recommending both these men for the Lifesaver Award due to their actions.”
Kramer concurred, though he was unsure if either would show up.
“Neither wanted recognition for doing what needed to be done,” he said as a contingent including undersheriff Rich Stephens, county commissioner Ben Robertson, detective Caleb Watts and North Bench Fire Chief Ken Baker waited.
Ege came in somewhat sheepishly, accompanied by five family members, all women, who had obviously persuaded him in no uncertain terms that he would be there.
“I’m just glad he’s okay,” Ege said. “That’s what matters.”