Iowa EMT Remembered by Friends, Family

July 30--OTTUMWA -- Adam Herrick's mom knew her son cared about others. At his funeral, she learned how many others cared about him.

"The funeral home had every room full," said Linda Herrick, mother of Adam, the 29-year-old Ottumwa paramedic who died of natural causes at home this week. "Out front [at the funeral home], there was a firetruck, a sheriff's car and three ambulances with the lights flashing in memory of Adam. EMTs from five counties, highway patrol, deputies, were there to show how much they appreciated Adam."

A friend said being able to grieve among those who knew Adam made her feel less alone.

"It makes it easier that there have been other people around who knew him, who understand, and we can talk together and tell stories about Adam," said Elizabeth Leffler of Ottumwa.

Both Leffler and Adam graduated from OHS in the Class of 2005.

"It's just one of those things [in which] you wish the class reunion could have been two weeks earlier so at least I could have seen him again," Leffler said of the guy she considered one of her best friends in school. "Whenever we saw each other, it was as if no time had passed; we'd be talking and laughing."

Laughter was a big part of Adam's life, his mother told the Courier. In fact, co-workers told her that their department tended to be an unhappy one until Adam arrived, bringing with him a sense of humor that soon made others glad to be at work. But it was his caring nature that Linda heard about most this week.

People contacted her to tell her how Adam had touched their lives -- or actually saved their lives.

"We knew Adam was a loving, caring person, but we didn't know to what extent he would go in a crisis," she said. "It's been something extraordinary."

One example she heard was about a child struck in a hit-and-run accident during horrible winter weather. The general consensus was that the boy wouldn't survive. Adam called in and said, "This boy is still breathing. I want to keep him with us."

With the critical injuries, her son's ambulance was instructed to take the child to Iowa City. They actually managed to drive through snow-piled highways halfway to Iowa City but then got stuck.

"Adam stayed with him, keeping him alive for an hour and a half until another ambulance could arrive," Linda said.

The boy lived, and the family has shared the story of Adam's persistence.

"He loved that job," Linda said. "He had touched so many lives, and he was glad to do so."

He was a big guy, both in size and in spirit, she said, but he was also her baby, and she was very proud of him. In fact, she said instructors told her son that with his ability, he could go on to medical school to become a doctor.

"He didn't want to leave. He said, 'What I'm doing, I'm out there where I'm needed most at the time,'" recalled Linda.

The administrator at Ottumwa Regional Health Center told Mom they'd be putting up a plaque in honor of Adam.

And Adam's high school pal, Leffler, said guests at the funeral had been encouraged to skip bringing flowers and instead make a donation to a new scholarship. The grant will be in Adam's name at Indian Hills Community College and go toward a student learning the skills of an emergency medical technician (EMT).

Memorials can be handed to the family, presented at Reece Funeral Home or given directly to Indian Hills.

-- To contact reporter Mark Newman, email mnewman@ottumwacourier.com or follow his Twitter page @couriermark

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