By Patrick Baron

NORMAL – The Normal Fire Department is recognizing three people who saved the life of a man who had a heart attack at the corner of Veterans Parkway and College Avenue last December.

Cal Powell suffered the heart attack while driving on Veterans, causing him to rear-end Dwayne Kolbus. Yet rather than screaming at the person who hit him, Kolbus realized Powell was in danger and began doing what he could until ambulances came. Chris Metz and Mark Campbell, who were on the scene, saw the accident and rushed to help. Powell’s heart attack blocked all of his arteries, meaning if Kolbus, Metz, and Campbell didn’t act when they did, the heart attack would have been fatal.

“I just simply administered CPR,” Kolbus explained. “I had no other interactions because I was concentrated on that and just wanting all that time to go by until the cavalry arrived.”

Powell said he has no memory of that day. When he woke up in the hospital and was told what had happened, it seemed surreal to him.

“It was really hard to believe that all that happened and I was still there,” said Powell, with a light chuckle.

Chris Metz, who called 911 and communicated with Powell during the ordeal, said that day made her appreciate the gift of life.

“When I found out that he had lived….my life has completely changed, because I was put there for a reason: to realize how precious life is,” explained Metz.

Normal Fire Department Chief Mick Humer believes the story speaks volumes about the people who live in Bloomington-Normal.

“You see these stories on the national news and in the newspaper about people who have an accident or some kind of emergency on the side of the road, and they can’t get anyone to stop and help them,” said Humer. “That kind of thing doesn’t happen in Bloomington-Normal. People get involved and help their neighbors.”

The Normal Fire Department, along with a smiling Powell, presented awards of citizen recognition to Kolbus, Metz, and Campbell.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].