To the Editor,

It seems we are often surrounded by bad news in a world where it increasingly appears that people are only out for themselves. But every day all around us, there are people who selflessly give of themselves for the good of others. I, along with my family, would like to publicly thank two Warwick residents whose quick-thinking and caring actions one year ago this week saved the life of my father-in-law, Tom Plante, formerly a resident of Harrison Avenue.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 27, 2021, he had a massive heart attack while mowing his lawn. The place where he collapsed was at a part of the yard further away from my in-laws’ house. His neighbor, Bill Martins, who had recently returned home and was still outside, noticed that the mower noise had stopped, and looked over to see Tom lying on the ground. He ran over and began CPR, a certification he’d just received about a month before. Another Warwick resident, Mike Parriseau, who was passing by and saw what was happening, stopped and assisted Mr. Martins in continuing CPR until the Warwick Fire Department arrived and took over.

We’re extremely grateful to the dedicated members of the Fire Department, along with the emergency medicine team at Rhode Island Hospital, who also played an important role in saving Tom’s life, and who bravely serve in this capacity every day. However, the doctors later acknowledged that if it hadn’t been for the immediate, alert and capable actions of Mr. Martins and Mr. Parriseau, there would have been no chance for survival.

This incident shows how important it is for everyone to know the life-saving skill of CPR. We never know when or where such an emergency will unfold, and the minutes between when a 911 call is placed and when professional help can possibly arrive can frequently be the minutes that decide life or death.

One year later, my father-in-law has made a strong recovery. Though we expressed our immense gratitude to Mr. Martins and Mr. Parriseau at the time, we want the community to be aware of these two heroes among them. Without them, this first anniversary would be a far more somber one. We are eternally grateful to both of you!

Barry Russo

Rome, NY