Acadian Ambulance Medic Awarded Purple Heart
(PRWEB) November 20, 2013 -- An Acadian Ambulance medic received a Purple Heart medal last week at a ceremony at the Louisiana National Guard’s Camp Beauregard in Pineville.
Spc. Williams Hernandez is an EMT-Basic in Gretna, La., for Acadian’s Orleans operations and has been with the Louisiana Army National Guard since 2010. He says he decided to enlist because he wanted to serve his country and state after seeing the devastation and chaos after Hurricane Katrina.
In May, Hernandez was five hours into a convoy security mission in Afghanistan when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his unit's armored vehicle. He suffered a brain injury, a ruptured ear membrane, and had shrapnel covering his back.
In front of family, friends, and his community, Hernandez received the Purple Heart, awarded to those who have been wounded or killed serving the U.S. military. While Hernandez was grateful for the award, he said he still harbors survivor’s guilt over his friend and comrade, Spc. Christopher Drake, who did not survive the attack.
“Drake is truly the one who deserves the spotlight, as he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country,” Hernandez said. “While I’m happy to receive the certificate and award, I’m happier that I was able to return home safely to be with my family. Not everyone is that fortunate.”
Acadian Operations Manager Kelly Legania said, “The New Orleans area is extremely proud of Williams on this major accomplishment. For the short time that I’ve known him, it’s truly been a pleasure. We are honored to have him as a part of Team NOLA.”
Acadian Ambulance, an emergency and non-emergency medical transportation provider serving Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, is committed to its patients and its communities.
Since 1971, Acadian has provided the highest level of emergency medical care and transportation possible. In the past decade, the company has expanded to include a diverse suite of services in health, safety, and transportation. Acadian’s six divisions are Acadian Ambulance Service, Acadian Monitoring Services, Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter Service, National EMS Academy and Safety Management Systems.
Julie Mahfouz, PR/Marketing Manager, Acadian Companies, http://acadian.com, +1 (337) 291-1551, [email protected]
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