In a dramatic scene during what is being called the largest ticker tape parade in New York City history, a Knicks fan put his life on the line to assist a man believed to be suffering from a drug overdose. As throngs of people filled Lower Manhattan, off-duty paramedics Simone Kelly and Peter Shrevedon quickly stepped in to help.
Shrevedon, who was recording the Knicks’ celebratory parade, noticed a man unconscious atop the World Trade Center subway station. He hurried to alert a nearby NYPD officer, capturing the moment on Instagram.
In his post, Shrevedon reflected, “That guy was so eager to go out and no one was doing anything. We didn’t have time, so I went up.” The urgency of the situation was apparent.
Noting the man had “passed out from vomit,” Shrevedon insisted that action was needed despite officers’ attempts to keep him from climbing. He was determined. “They’ll tell you to get off,” a woman warned him. “Then he will die,” he replied, taking the risk to save a life.
As he reached the man, whose head was nearly upside down, Shrevedon began shaking him and urging him to wake up. The crowd below watched closely, sensing the gravity of the situation.
“It became clear to me that this wasn’t something I could handle alone,” Shrevedon later acknowledged, giving credit to Kelly for her decisive actions. Together, they climbed the structure to reach the man in need.
Once on the scene, Kelly administered Narcan and assisted in stabilizing the individual. Footage showed her applying the lifesaving spray while gently rubbing his sternum. Fortunately, the man began to regain consciousness, expressing gratitude to Kelly.
After some onlookers helped carry him to paramedics, the man was secured on a stretcher and taken away for further medical attention, though his condition remained unknown at that time.
Reflecting on the experience, Shrevedon praised Kelly as a hero. “Sometimes, if you see something, do something,” he urged, expressing his admiration for those who know how to act in emergencies. “I love this city. The Knicks came in fifth.”
Kelly, who is part of the South Orange Rescue Squad, reposted the incident on her Instagram, hoping her newfound recognition will aid her ambition of entering medical school. She humorously questioned, “Great work on Instagram, but who will get my name to the medical school admissions committee?”
