Man collapses and dies 19th & K St Today 6pm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Several years ago my father collapsed on the street and a woman passing by tried CPR and another person ran down the block to the firehouse to get EMTs. The police contacted a neighbor who tracked down my sister who got to the hospital to be told he had died. By the time my mother was tracked down, the woman who had tried CPR was also st the hospital. Everyone was in shock and no one got her info, but I am always grateful that she acted, and tried tosavehim. And that he wasn't alone on the sidewalk.
If you see an obituary I would suggest writing them a letter of sympathy. It will bring them the tiniest bit of solace that there were caring people around him.

This is a good suggestion. Given that this incident happened yesterday do you know where the obituary might be found and when it might be published?

[Anonymous]

I think a death notice may be in tomorrow at the earliest. We managed to get it in the paper in less than 48 hours even though it was an unexpected death, but we are Jewish and the service was that soon and a friend wrote it. More likely, if they are not Jewish, the service will be later and the death notice may be later in the week. A tip is it may say he died "suddenly "or "unexpectedly. " you may also recognize if they include a photo.
Do you know that he died?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing this, OP.
Any more information, anyone?

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm glad you were with him and he wasn't alone.

[Anonymous]

Agree that there's a good chance the man's family will be pointed to this thread.

2245, your post detailing a man's last moments and your perspective on the care he received ON A PUBLIC DISCUSSION BOARD goes too far. Having lost my spouse in a similar manner, I found that Facebook/internet speculation, or worse, misstatements about details of his death by people who are not affected only added to my grief. I could only imagine if it had been someone like you and not a trained professional who had delivered the news that efforts to revive DH had not been successful.

Please leave notification to the people who are trained to do so. By all means, if you have clues to someone's id or can share info with first responders, do so. Give them your number. Write a note of condolence to the family and offer to speak with them if you witnessed the death. But please let it be their choice whether to take you up on it! You can't "unknow" info and images like the ones that PP wrote about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree that there's a good chance the man's family will be pointed to this thread.

2245, your post detailing a man's last moments and your perspective on the care he received ON A PUBLIC DISCUSSION BOARD goes too far. Having lost my spouse in a similar manner, I found that Facebook/internet speculation, or worse, misstatements about details of his death by people who are not affected only added to my grief. I could only imagine if it had been someone like you and not a trained professional who had delivered the news that efforts to revive DH had not been successful.

Please leave notification to the people who are trained to do so. By all means, if you have clues to someone's id or can share info with first responders, do so. Give them your number. Write a note of condolence to the family and offer to speak with them if you witnessed the death. But please let it be their choice whether to take you up on it! You can't "unknow" info and images like the ones that PP wrote about.

PP, I'm really sorry for your loss, but this thread has been pretty respectful and good, by such standards. If I was this man's family, I would be comforted to know that multiple strangers on the internet stopped to try to help and thought about it afterward. That would make me feel GOOD, especially because in this city, people tend to just walk past things they find hard to deal with. It takes a strong bystander to step in and try to help, and a good person to be affected by it later.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Yes, overall the thread has been very respectful and posters mean well. Knowing people cared and assisted would be a comfort. I think the 2245 post, though, goes too far and could be traumatizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Yes, overall the thread has been very respectful and posters mean well. Knowing people
cared and assisted would be a comfort. I think the 2245 post, though, goes too far and could be traumatizing.

I am sorry for your loss. I feel everyone should choose for themselves what to do, and not be criticized by a online stranger, for doing so. Please do not assume that this man's family would necessarily share your personal feelings. Peace.

[Anonymous]

22:45's description is awful, and I think it shows a lack of understanding of how emergency treatment is administered. It may look awful, but they aren't being pointless rough. They are working as fast as they can to treat him, and while the head bump may seem terrible and would probably hurt if it were received alone, it is not going to affect the patient's recovery.

[Anonymous]

I am a social worker in a local ER and have to make those notification calls on a regular basis. I understand that you wanted to help - but you probably would not be prepared for the response on the other end of the phone, nor would you know what to tell them to do (which hospital, how to get there if they were unfamiliar, etc.) And you probably would have had a lot of anxiety/stress from talking to the family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were crossing at 19th and K St this evening after work and man suddenly collapses and stops breathing. We administer CPR and call 911. The man stops breathing and statrs turning a blueish tint. The first responders rip open his shirt and cut his pants and start shocking him but he does notawake. We give the ambulance his briefcase andcontiune to stand on the corner in shock. I keep wishing that Id gone in his briefcase and tried to find out his identitgso that I could let his wife or daughter or someone know that hed just suffered a medical emergency. I feel so bad thathis next of kinhave no idea whathas happened. Whats worse Is that a lot of us kept saying that weve seen that man before. His face was definitely familiar... he works around 19TH and K. Sorry if Im rambling Im still in shock.

It isn't your responsibility to notify kin. And while I appreciate your compassionate instinct to want to do so, that would be inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks ago I was downtown and a woman fell and injured herself. About 8 people gathered around to help, call an ambulance and stay with her. It was really nice to see so many people go out of their way during busy lunch hour to help someone in need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here. Yes, overall the thread has been very respectful and posters mean well. Knowing people cared and assisted would be a comfort. I think the 2245 post, though, goes too far and could be traumatizing.

The people criticizing you probably did not read the potentially hurtful comments, which jumped out at me as well. Sad all around.

[Anonymous]

My father died of a massive heart attack at work when I was a teenager. If I'd come across something like 22:45's post with those kinds of details, it would have upset me a great deal.

[Anonymous]

I too saw the incident yesterday. I also passed by the spot on the way to work this morning and stopped quietly for a moment. I will be passing this spot again on my way home when I get off of work. My prayers go out to this man and his family.