6th Annual HHTCC - Michelle Martinez

At the beginning of this conference I had my mind set on becoming an EMT. After hearing Donceya Bertalotto, I came to realize that I might not really be ready for this career. Her stories and experiences really opened my eyes to things I hadn’t really taken into consideration. One experience she had when she was young was with a friend on drugs. One day he got into an argument with his cousin, also her friend, while he was drugged up and ended up shooting him. The cousin didn’t get the the right medical attention and he unfortunately passed away. Wanting to know how to handle any situation that may occur is what led her to become an EMT. Seeing and hearing that side of being an EMT opened my eyes to the actual reality of it all. People lose their lives, and it is possible that it can happen on your time. Can you imagine living with that? Personally I could never live with knowing I was the last person someone saw before they passed. Donceya’s story really inspired me; how she went through all that and was still able to further her education. She didn’t let her past define her future. Instead, she took the experience and let it motivate her to continue her education. Today, she is able to help in any and all situations. She is truly a role model. After the conference I really put my mind to work. I got into deep thoughts about how being an EMT would affect me. I don’t want to go into the wrong career. I now know that being an EMT is so much more than what people think. Even though I don’t think I will be going into the medical field, I hold an endless amount of respect for those that do. They truly are heroes; not all heroes wear capes.