Paramedics plow through 17 inches of snow to reach stroke patient

May 29—GENEVA — "It was terrible in our neck of the woods that morning," Mark Legg, 64, said as he recalls a particularly snowy day in Ashtabula on Nov. 17, 2022.

He and his wife, Sue, were watching the morning news while drinking coffee in their living room. A bad winter storm came through the area and dumped more than a foot of snow.

At 5:15 a.m., Mark had just finished texting his boss to let him know he'd be running late because of the weather, and he remembers telling his wife he didn't feel right.

"My whole left side, my head, face, arm and leg were going numb and felt tingly," he said.

Sue Legg works in the medical administration, and immediately recognized the signs that something was off and called 9-1-1. Paramedics were dispatched while she stayed on the phone to continue giving information on her husband's condition.

She went outside and started shoveling a path from their driveway to the road.

"There was about 17 inches of snow outside that morning," he said.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from Saybrook Township Fire Department had to change course a few times due to the snow drifts, and became stuck about a mile from the Leggs' residence.

EMS Captain, Jim Krenisky, got out without hesitation and trudged through deep snow to reach their home.

He examined Legg to ensure he was stable and knew that he was suffering from a stroke. About 20 minutes later, ambulance driver, Jason Coy, and the rest of the squad were able to reach the home by calling in help from a snow plow and following it.

In a heroic team effort, the paramedics were able to call various agencies to ensure roads were clear and were able to quickly get Legg to University Hospitals (UH) Geneva Medical Center for treatment.

"As soon as I got to UH Geneva, the ER department moved quickly into action," Mark Legg said. "The doctors and nurses took me right in for a CT scan and the doctor said I was a candidate for the clot buster drug, TNK. I had three CT scans and an MRI all in that one day, and then I was eventually taken to UH Elyria for continued observation and monitoring, and was discharged to complete intensive rehab at home."

For the first two days, Mark could hardly move his left side, raise his arm or leg, and couldn't even speak. He said his speech came back much faster than anything else. Following rehab in the hospital, he was able to complete intensive rehab at home. He received both physical and occupational therapy over the course of four weeks. Mark made a full recovery within two months, and was able to get back to work.

"What stuck out to me about this patient, was he said he just didn't feel right," explains Dr. Keith Waggoner, Emergency Medicine physician who was on-call that morning. "It's such a subtle difference, and the fact that he acted on that subtle difference saved his life."

Mark Legg is thankful for the collaboration between the local EMS and UH teams.

"I really commend the paramedics at Saybrook Township Fire Department and how quick and organized they were," he said. "I can remember hearing them make a path while I was in the ambulance. UH Geneva's team did a phenomenal job to save my life once I arrived."

On May 24, 2023, the Ohio Department of Public Safety Division of EMS recognized some of the top first responders in the state at the 2023 Star of Life Awards.

Saybrook Township Fire Department was one of the recipients honored for heroic actions in the face of challenging and potentially dangerous circumstances. The Leggs attended the event as well. Watch a video of the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY6Qw3iHvkw.

The most effective stroke treatments are only available if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed early, so it's vital for family members and friends to be aware of the signs.

BE FAST is an easy acronym to remember:

B: BALANCE — Is balance suddenly off?

E: EYES — Experiencing blurry or double vision?

F: FACE — Does one side of the face droop when smiling?

A: ARMS — Does one arm drift downward when arms are raised?

S: SPEECH — Are words slurred? Can sentences be repeated correctly?

T: TIME — If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. Call 9-1-1 and get to the hospital fast.