On Thursday, 54-year-old Mike Pilgrim and his family had a chance to thank several first responders who played a role in saving his life last month.

On July 25, Pilgrim was helping a friend cut down a tree, got electrocuted and was found unresponsive. Thanks to the fast response to American Medical Response, police officers and 911 dispatchers, he was alive on Thursday to hug them all.

“Like I told you that day, you’re a lucky man,” said Retosha McKenzie, advanced EMT with AMR Medical Unit 88. “There was a higher power looking over you.”

The incident took place in Troup County, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of first responders, who respond to hundreds of different types of calls.

Those kind of life-saving efforts should be highlighted in the newspaper, and we’re thankful this event was held so we could highlight the men and women who played a part in saving Pilgrim’s life.

Although they’re not often in the spotlight, the men and women involved in this incident are everyday heroes, and the Pilgrim family made sure they knew that on Thursday.

We’re thankful that Pilgrim has recovered, but this incident is also a reminder of how quickly life can change.

“The rest of me is busted up, but they went in and sewed me back up,” Pilgrim said. “They did real good. They wanted to keep me longer, but I wanted to come home.”

Thankfully when something bad happens, first responders are there to help out.