A truck driver suffered a stroke behind the wheel recently. In the moments before the incident, a simple decision turned into something much greater: the difference between life and death.
For Marine Corps 1st Lt. Morgan White, the communications officer for Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, this situation tested her will to act, as she became the deciding factor in saving a stranger’s life.
“I was on my way to work, and as I approached a stop sign, I saw a truck coming at a weird angle toward me,” White said. “It sort of dipped and bounced into a ditch off the side of the road. I drove forward to look back and see if the driver was OK.”
As she pulled in closer to the stalled vehicle, the lieutenant said, she saw that the driver, an elderly man, appeared to be shaking in the driver’s seat.
“I pulled over, ran to his truck, opened the door and found he was seizing,” she said.
Lifesaver Training Kicks In
It only took a moment for White to register the situation. The combat lifesaver training she received at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School came rushing back, she said, and she knew the first thing to do was to clear the man’s airway to allow for proper breathing.
“I tried to hold his head upright and make sure he remained still,” White said. “When he stopped [shaking], he was drooling and I could tell it was difficult for him to breathe. I ran to my truck for my phone and called 911, and at this point someone else had also stopped to assist.
“We both got through at the same time,” she continued, “and once help was on the way, we started to see if we could make it easier for him to breathe. We kept talking to him to keep him responsive, but initially he wasn’t at all. At one point, in fact, he stopped breathing.”
Emergency medical technicians arrived and were able to rush the man to the hospital. Without White’s rapid decision-making demonstrated that day, the outcome of the situation may have been much worse.
“The Marine Corps teaches you to make hard decisions,” the lieutenant said. “When life throws us questions that we don’t know the answer to, we’ve learned to quickly think on our feet. When I pulled over and saw the man that appeared to be in duress, all that training kicked in. I jumped out of my car and immediately started doing what I thought was the best thing.
When she saw the man returning to consciousness, White said, a wave of relief flooded over her. “I don’t know what would have happened if no one had stopped,” she added. “I was very thankful that I made that decision and was able to help him.”
Hunger for Challenges
As a criminal justice major in college, White said, she has always had a hunger for challenges and helping people in need. “I don’t like injustices for people who can’t help it,” she said, “so if I can be in any position where I can make things better for those around me, it’s a good use for what I was learning in college.”
White grew up in a fast-paced military life. Her father served in the Navy for more than 20 years, and her family moved around to many areas of the country, including Florida, California, Alabama and Mississippi.
“I really enjoyed the military environment,” she said. “Growing up, I saw the family that’s created within the military. I knew whether I did it for four years or 20, it was a good way to develop myself as a leader.”
In her day-to-day tasks, White said, she always tries to lead her Marines with fairness. “One of my pet peeves in life is when leaders make rules and regulations, and then don’t follow it themselves,” she added. “If I say that we are going to do something, I mean we are all doing it together. I love my Marines, and they are what makes my job worth it. The challenges that they present on a daily basis are never easy, but I enjoy it.”