MY HOME TOWN
In over a half a century, no matter where I traveled in this country or where I lived, when I was asked where I was from, I always said West Liberty, Iowa. It is the place I was born and raised and taught how to act toward people, how to say yes sir and no mam, how to treat everyone as you would like to be treated.
In July, I attended my 65th class reunion along with the entire All School reunion, the whole weekend was wonderful until the end.
On the way to the parking lot after the banquet at the high school, my wife, Kathy Kirby, missed the step from the curb to the parking lot and did a magnificent face plant in the parking lot. I had my back turned when she fell, and when I turned around and saw her on the ground my heart sank; she landed on her left side and face. She is on blood thinners so she was bleeding pretty bad and the left side of her face was totally bruised.
I immediately knelt down to help her sit up. But before I could do that, someone yelled, “don’t move her, don’t move her” and in a second that person was on the ground tending to my wife. I had no idea who this person was, only that it was such a nice gesture to aid in my wife’s need while she was bleeding from the head.After doing some research, I found out this person was Mollie Nealson, from California, married to Ken Nealson, Class of 1961.
A 911 call was placed immediately, and the person on this end of the line until the paramedics arrived was Julie Nealson, Class of 1980, married to Ed, Class of 19787. She relayed all the information on my wife that the paramedics required before they arrived on scene.
The first person to arrive from the EMS force was t Fire Chief, Kirt Sickels. He went immediately to my wife to see how she was doing what he could do for her, I was impressed.
Dr. Leon Larson, local veterinarian brought an Iowa State Blanket to cover my wife, stating he normally worked on 4 legged things but would make an exception tonight.
Another person that was on scene and assisted was Luann Morrison Bjork, Class of 1980. I don’t have the names of the two paramedics that arrived in the ambulance, but I can tell you they were very thorough and so helpful. After they did what they could, it was decided my wife needed to go to the ER at University Hospital.
In my years at West Liberty, our family always used Mercy Hospital, in fact my mother, Jean Kirby, spent her last days there 11 years ago. I did not know how to get to the University hospital, so another fine face in the crowd offered to follow the ambulance and lead me to the ER at University, that was Kelley Morrison, Class of 1988,
I would never have found it without her. She also called many times during the night to see if she could offer any more assistance.
The ER staff did their job with a CT scan to rule out facial bone breaks, skull fracture and rule out a brain bleed, put in a few stitches and sent us home.
We have found since returning home to Wichita, Kansas that age does not help in the healing process and on top of that, we both tested positive for Covid, which is another experience in itself.
The reason for writing this piece, is to let everyone in West Liberty know what a fine town you have, just like I remember it growing up, what great support to someone who has an accident, and most of all to say THANK YOU to all that assisted in my wife’s needs, it was so much appreciated.
And yes, I’m still proud to call West Liberty, “ MY HOME TOWN"
Jack, Class of 58 & Kathy Kirby.