Mo. Church Honors First Responders

Feb. 21--ST. PETERS -- The fire trucks, police cars and military vehicle dotting the parking lot offered the first indication that the Sunday service at the First Assembly Church of St. Peters might differ from the norm.

Indeed it did when the drivers of those vehicles took their seats in the sanctuary.

For the second year, the church dedicated a Sunday service to thank first responders and members of the American military for their work. Hundreds of people attended, including a few dozen police, paramedics, firefighters, military members in uniform and veterans.

The event started last year to thank first responders who saved John Smith, a teenager who survived a fall through ice on Lake Saint Louis on Jan. 19, 2015.

Paramedics and doctors performed CPR on Smith for 43 minutes before he regained a pulse. John, now 15, and his parents, who are members of First Assembly, attended Sunday's service and credited first responders and God for John's survival.

This year's keynote speaker, Dave Roever, 69, a Navy veteran, told his own survival story of how he was nearly killed on a river patrol boat in Vietnam when a sniper's bullet hit the grenade in his right hand. Roever was awarded a Purple Heart. He said he believes his faith helped him survive.

"It's not Dave that did it," he said. "It's Christ in me that made me do it."

Roever travels the world giving speeches on supporting the military and raising money for veterans causes through his foundation. But he said local police, firefighters and paramedics, however, deserve as much appreciation and support as those serving overseas.

"They're fighting the war at home," he said.

Joel Currier -- 314-340-8256

@joelcurrier on Twitter

jcurrier@post-dispatch.com

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