Ms. Owen
AP English III
17 September 2013
HEART ATTACK “Where are they” I asked as we all got off the ride. We walked a little ways and then I saw him, hunched over on the ground, face pale, body shirtless, and sweating profusely. “What is happening” I thought to myself, too scared to speak. I stood with Steve and Matt, overhearing bits and pieces of my mom and Jill’s conversation. “What’s wrong?” my mom asked. “I don’t know” Jill answered. “He got too hot, said his arms were tingling. I told him to sit down” Jill told my mom. Jill asked, “should we call the paramedics?” “Yes” my dad finally interjected, obviously overhearing as well. I was about 13 years old and worried out of my mind. I walked over to where my dad was sitting. “Daddy, you don’t look so good” I said half-heartedly. “Are you alright?” He replied with a weak “I don’t know baby, but someone should be coming to help any minute”. At that moment I knew it was serious because my dad is a very independent, do-it-his-self, kind of guy. He doesn’t ask for help often and when he does that means there isn’t any other possible way. Our family was on vacation in Florida. We met up with our friends from England, Steve, Jill, and their son Matt, who is about my age. It was our second day in Florida and we decided to go to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. My dad and Jill do not ride most rides because of various medical issues but they patiently wait for us at every one. Dad loves photography so he tries to get pictures of us on each ride. I remember this ride vividly. It was Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. My mom, Steve, Matt, and I told dad and Jill we would be right back and left them like any other ordinary ride we had been on that day. Little did we know leaving them to go on this ride would be something none of us would ever forget! I heard the sirens and had a gut-wrenching feeling. “They are coming for my dad,” I thought, “they’re going to take him away in that ambulance and I won’t be able to go with him.” At that moment my emotions were all over the place. I didn’t know what was happening and I had a feeling I wouldn’t know for a while. When I saw the ambulance I ran over to my dad. “I love you so much” I choked out. Holding my hand my dad said, “I love you too! Everything is going to be okay sweetie, I promise. I want you to stay here with Jill and Steve. I’ll be back in no time”. The paramedics asked us to step back and the faucet of my tears almost opened. I knew they would make him better, they had to! They put my dad on a stretcher and put so many cords and needles on him. I just didn’t understand! Finally, they lifted the stretcher and put him in the ambulance. I cried out a final “I love you!” The ambulance took off and he was gone! My mom gave me a big hug. “Daddy’s going to be just fine,” she breathed, not really knowing that to be true but trying to comfort me so I wouldn’t be scared. “You stay here with Jill, Steve, and Matt and try to have fun and I’ll call you just as soon as I know something.” Steve decided