Little Rock veteran, volunteer firefighter reunites with MEMS crew that saved his life

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A man who has dedicated his life to serving others got a chance on Friday to thank the people who saved his life, 10 months after a heart attack nearly took it.

Today, for the first time since Joshua Carroll reunited with those who gave him a new lease on life.

“I wanted to call it out so you three realize, you literally saved my life that day,” Carroll said.

For over a decade, he was in the U.S. Army.

Then a firefighter, a Cub Scout leader, and even an announcer for the Arkansas Travelers.

Now, a title he never thought he’d hold, heart attack survivor.

“It’s important for me to have that opportunity to thank them and really make sure they fully understand. They saved my life,” Carroll said.

Joshua Carroll getting that chance Friday is something that those who saved his life said is rare.

Tiffany Arellano said she often wonders what happens to patients.

“Nine times out of ten, we don’t get to see how it turns out,” Arellano said.

That’s why Carroll pushed for a reunion.

“As a volunteer firefighter, we miss that bookend, if you will, you know, here’s what happened…here’s the rest of the story,” Carroll said.

That story reminds the MEMS crew why they do what they do.

The reunion is even sweeter because Carroll is a part of their first responder family.

“For me, it means a lot, especially because that’s one of our guys that we work with day in and day out,” Arellano said.

Haven Bradley, an EMT, said this reinforced what had drawn her to this field in the first place.

“For me, it just reminded me why I love doing this job,” Bradley said.

Now Carroll is charting his path forward.

“Something like this happens to you, and you look back on it afterwards, and then you look forward to the rest of your life, you’re like, wait, ok, what do I do with this now?” Carroll said.

The 46-year-old said there were no warning signs, just a feeling that felt like heartburn, then… waking up in a hospital bed.

He says he’s thankful, and while he prays it doesn’t come to that, he hopes to repay the favor someday.

The members of MEMS who saved him, Arellano, Bradley, and Kyle Porter, told me they hope more people share their stories with them to remind them why they do this.