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The following appeared in
the July 22 edition of The
Daily Post-Athenian.
Athens Police Officer Lee
Reagan is a 2008 graduate of
Tennessee Wesleyan College.
Reagan was a Behavioral
Science major with an
emphasis in Criminal Justice
and was hired by the APD
after graduation.
Family credits Athens Police
Department officer's quick
action with saving father's
life
 When
Police Officer Lee Reagan
responded to an Athens
convenience store on a call
of an elderly man who had
fallen down, he had no idea
that he would end up saving
the man's life.
Reagan responded to the
Jiffy on Decatur Pike and
found 69-year old Bobby
Bishop on the floor. He
wasn't breathing and had no
pulse, according to his
report. Reagan immediately
began CPR on the man and
continued the procedure
until emergency medical
personnel arrived on the
scene, when they took over
and performed lifesaving
techniques.
Bishop was taken to Athens
Regional Medical Center.
According to Bishop's son
Brian, Reagan is the reason
his father is still alive.
"Officer Reagan means a lot
to us. My dad wouldn't be
here today if it wasn't for
him," he said. "Between him
and the Lord, Dad was well
taken care of."
Bishop continued to express
how grateful he was for the
actions Reagan took by
saying he and his family
thought a lot of the officer
and the quick actions he
took that night.
"He went above and beyond
his call of duty," he said.
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Athens Mayor Hal
Buttram, left,
presents Athens Police
Officer Lee Reagan
with a Distinguished
Service Award. At
right is Reagan's
wife, Emaleigh. On
July 1, Officer Reagan
performed CPR on a man
who had stopped
breathing. The officer
performed CPR until an
EMS team arrived.
Photo by Jason
Reynolds, The Daily
Post-Athenian |
Bishop says his father is
currently residing at a
nursing home in Sweetwater,
where he has made some
improvements on his
condition since the
accident.
"They are rehabilitating him
there. We hope he will be
able to come home," he said.
"He knows who we are and is
able to communicate with us.
That gives me hope."
Reagan continues to keep up
with the Bishop family. He
has checked in on them
several times since the
call.
Reagan was given the
Distinguished Service Award
during Athens' City Council
meeting this month for the
actions he took that night.
"We are pleased Reagan was
honored with the award,"
said Athens Police Captain
Rob Davis.
According to Davis, all the
officers are given basic
medical training because a
lot of times they are the
first ones on the scene.
"Officer Reagan quickly
responded to the needs of
the citizen and realized
that without lifesaving
first aid Mr. Bishop may not
have survived," Davis said.
Davis continued by say that
Athens Police Department was
very proud of Reagan's
performance, and that his
actions further exemplified
the commitment and
dedication of the
departments officers.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Anthony Dake
Staff Writer, The Daily
Post-Athenian |
