Asbury Park, NJ cop helps guide elderly woman with dementia
Imagine you're prepping your Thanksgiving dinner feast, getting the turkey out of the brine, cutting and peeling the potatoes, and doing the last-minute cleanup. As a part of readying your house for the coming crowd of family and friends, you step outside to get some wood from the rack for the fire and you encounter an elderly woman in your driveway wearing a coat with no pants clutching a purse.
OK, so that's not exactly what happened this past Thanksgiving to a woman in Asbury Park, but she was approached by a strange woman saying that she couldn't find her keys and lived across the street.
She further explained that she was scared of the woman who lived in her house.
Unsettling, for sure, if you're the person being approached. But this Asbury Park resident recognized the signs of dementia and brought the elderly woman, named Julia, into her home.
The anonymous woman called the police and when Officer Herline Valcin showed up, he was prepped for the possible dementia and called the paramedics.
Between Officer Valcin and the two paramedics, they were able to confirm the dementia and made sure Julia was very comfortable when she got upset about the idea of being taken away in the ambulance.
After an hour of treating her and not wanting the anonymous woman to leave her side, Julia forgot who she was and allowed the paramedics to take her to the hospital.
Our #BlueFriday honoree this week is Asbury Park Officer Herline Valcin with an honorary mention to Firemen Richard Gabriel and Joseph Annunziata.
First Responders never know what lies ahead for their shift, thankfully they are at the ready, regardless of circumstances.
They are ready, willing, and highly capable to step in and get people the help that they need.
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Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.
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