She heard the sound, the screeching of brakes, of a major vehicle crash and left her home above Fool on the Hill to see what happened. She got to the car with others who gave her a phone to give directions to a 911 operator. The others spoke to the accident victim. Trained at the highest level of EMT and once having had thoughts of pursuing a paramedic degree, Jennifer Mandarino saw the color of the victim’s face change rapidly. She told the victim she was not alone, that help was on the way. She also realized that after checking vitals, she needed to do what she could to help save this woman. She tried CPR and gave her mouth-to-mouth resusitation until Woodstock Ambulance arrived. She tried but could not reach the accident victim’s chest. When the accident victim was gone, Mandarino said a prayer to bless her and send her on her way.
Mandarino has lived in Quechee just over the Woodstock line for about three years. She regularly attends Woodstock’s Unitarian Universalist Church. She says the church members have been helping her of late with a food and meal train as she recently had surgery and was supposed to be taking it easy.
She was interviewed by Hartford Police along with others following the fatal accident on Route 4 yesterday. She stood by for several hours continuing to watch over the woman she tried to save.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 