LODD-San Diego Medical Services Enterprise EMT Esteban Behena-04-01-2010

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San Diego Medical Services Enterprise Emergency Medical Technician Esteban Behena, 24, was killed while working a traffic accident scene in San Diego California on April 1st, 2010. He was struck by a car and taken to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. May he Rest in Peace.

Thoughts and Prayers go out to his family, friends and fellow EMS personnel at SDMSE.

Duane F. Kuhlow, Jr.

Senior Dispatcher II

American Medical Response San Diego

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Here is an essay written after the announcement of Esteban's death by a Medic for AMR, who is an instructor for the Medic and EMT programs where I assist:

Here is an essay written by Devin Price. It is full of great insight. Thanks Devin. My condolences to Estebans Family.

Today at 9:35pm

This morning when I arrived at work I was greeted with the question “did you hear about the EMT???” and soon found out the meaning be...hind the question. One of the people I was with wondered if they knew who it was and it got me to thinking and I felt compelled to write this brief essay.

Like everyone, I was curious and afraid that it might be someone I know but before learning his name, I came to the realization that it didn’t matter whether I knew Esteban or not…..as corny as it sounds, at the end of the day, we are brought together for a common goal of helping strangers when they need us the most. That makes us a family.

Like any family ours is diverse in its make-up and challenged with the quirks, idiosyncrasies and hiccups that come with any large family. We get along most of the time, we argue once in a while, we’re there for one-another and sometimes we disappoint each-other. We laugh together and we laugh at ourselves; we share common interests yet are fiercely independent in our approach but we’ve always got each-others back. We are all leaders yet cherish our profession because of the teams with whom we work. We are a family.

Common interests bring us together. We love the thrill of the sirens and relish those rare moments when we save a life. Sometimes the challenges of our job can seem overwhelming but we look no further than our partners and coworkers to know that we’re not alone. Ours is a job where cleaning poop off a gurney seems like a natural segue to eating a beef & bean burrito and hospitals are chosen based on the treats that await. Sometimes those treats come in packages and sometimes they are wearing scrubs. We are a family.

We are always together. We eat together. We work together. We live together. And sometimes we die together. In the past week two of our colleagues have died. One unexpectedly and today, one tragically. We feel their loss and their absence will be felt. In times of joy and now in a time of sadness we must once again be together. It is a time for reflection, for tears, for what-if’s and asking the question “why?”. We are a family.

No, I didn’t know Esteban, but it doesn’t matter, he was a member of my family…… of our family. We will all feel his loss and what he represented. His death will bring us together for a day of memory and reflection. Old friends will see each-other and new friends will be made. We’ll shake hands and share hugs. Tears will be spilled, laughter heard, stories told and then sadly we’ll all go our own way. Such is the nature of life in a family. Cherish the moment for today we are all one big family.

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Another young lad taken away much too early. this is truly a tragedy. My thoughts and Prayers go to his family at home and his extended family in the emergency response units in San Diego. Thank you Devin, your words are so true. May Esteban rest in Peace and may God grant his families the strength to get through this most difficult time.