Thomas Felter Jr. has been named Porter’s “Associate of the Year” for 2009.
Felter, a paramedic with Porter’s Emergency Medical Services for the last 12 years, is a familiar face in the community. He grew up in South Haven fully intending to pursue a career as a photojournalist.
“This was a career that picked me,” Felter said of his decision to become a paramedic. “I was with the Volunteer Fire Department in South Haven and that exposed me to working on the ambulance. “I chose to become a paramedic – it is my way of helping people in a crisis.”
He does not consider anything he does to be out of the ordinary.
But his manager, Emergency Medical Services Director Gary Atherton, said he is awed and inspired by the day-to-day kindnesses Felter extends to co-workers, patients and strangers alike.
Felter was selected as Porter’s Associate of the Year after it was learned that he had extended an extraordinary kindness to a woman whose husband had been brought to the Emergency Department.
In nominating him, co-worker Darcy Jackson wrote, “Tom immediately searched the Emergency Department and found her husband. He located a volunteer to stay with her until her husband could be registered. Moments later, Tom helped another woman find the cafeteria. When she went to pay for her lunch, she learned that it had already been paid for – by Tom.”
Atherton said that display of generosity and kindness is not an isolated incident.
“Tom has written more notes of commendation and acclamation about those he works with than has anyone else at Porter. He is a person who follows through and who participates in everything. He is a team player and a team builder and we are fortunate at Porter that he works with us.”