Tragic Event at Work Today
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118611)
Gainesville, Florida
August 23, 2017 7:44pm CST
It is just after 8:30pm Wednesday night, and I am just getting home from a 12-hour day at work. Unfortunately, we had a tragedy at work this morning. At about 11:30am I received a call from one of my younger employees that her supervisor had just went unconscious and fell and hit his head on the floor. I told her to call 911 and then I rushed out to their location. When I arrived, the employee was conscious, but was in a complete daze and could not utter complete sentences. He was also vomiting and breathing hard and fast.
The paramedics arrived and began treating him. It appeared that they were able to stabilize him enough where they could load him in an ambulance and take him to the hospital for more testing to determine what happened.
My employee passed away from cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The paramedics performed CPR on him the entire way to the hospital, but upon arrival they pronounced him dead.
He was only 52, and seemed to be in great health. Didn't smoke, didn't drink, wasn't overweight, and as far as I know didn't have any health problems. It just hit me hard that I was one of the last few people to see him alive, as I was talking to him as they were first loading him into the ambulance. He worked for our organization for over nine years, and will surely be missed.
I know it's a well-worn cliche, but it really hits home when it becomes personal: life is too short, we never know when our time on this earth will come to an end.
I hope all of you out there hug your loved ones a little harder and a little longer tonight, because our time on this earth is not guaranteed.
40 people like this
38 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
24 Aug 17
That is so heart breaking. I'm sorry for everyone that knew and loved him. I will be praying for comfort.
6 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
He was a father to two wonderful girls, one a senior in high school. and the other a junior at Auburn University. As a father myself, my heart goes out to those two girls who lost their father today. Just breaks my heart.
7 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
24 Aug 17
That is how I feel, life is short and we never know when we will just die.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
That's exactly the reason why we should live our lives to the fullest, we never know when it's going to be taken from us!
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (459563)
• Switzerland
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc I agree, we always think to do something "tomorrow", if a tomorrow exists.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
It sure puts things in perspective. Make us realize that petty arguments aren't necessarily worth the time and headache. We need to focus more on the joys of life!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Aug 17
@LadyDuck That is true! We always assume there's going to be a "tomorrow."
1 person likes this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
24 Aug 17
I am so sorry for your loss and the loss of everyone who knew him. You are right about our time on earth not being guaranteed. None of us knows when our time will come.
2 people like this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc This is something I need to remember and put into practice.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
@Srbageldog Sometimes these things are easier said than done.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
That's why we need to live our lives to the fullest and not sweat the small stuff so much!
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29303)
• Eugene, Oregon
24 Aug 17
Things like this really bring home the fragility of life. It is very sad for his friends and family I know. He was quite young really.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
I have been thinking back to all the good times we had at work. He was a chef in the Army, so he always volunteered to do the cooking at all our staff luncheons and potlucks. In fact, him and I always deep-fried a turkey at Thanksgiving and brought it in for everyone in the office to enjoy.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
@JamesHxstatic He was a supervisor at one of our recreation centers, and ran our summer camp and after-school program there. We all spent a great deal of time this afternoon on the phone contacting all the parents of the kids in his after-school program to let them know what happened.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29303)
• Eugene, Oregon
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc I am sure he will be missed by many.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Aug 17
@HazySue She probably kissed or hugged him that morning on his way out the door, thinking she would see him that night when he got home from work. That's why we should always take the time to give our loved ones a little extra kiss or a tighter hug when we leave the house each day.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Thank you! We had a chance to reach out to his wife today and offer our help in anything she needs. She is just overwhelmed right now. We'll help her in any way we can. Prayers would be greatly appreciated.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Aug 17
@moffittjc you've got them. It must have been a terrible shock for her.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
24 Aug 17
I had two very upsetting news m hmo was cnacled and ,uliofeloimt ompjomedemied jkust bacausei fogt otpuit my age dfa,m but still I am aliove and dbrerathingh and did mot frall so need to put things i prospective here to ake m e feel better
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Thank you. I am definitely praying for their family tonight. It was so heartbreaking having to call his wife to tell her the news.
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Aww, thank you! I am doing much better today. We have a great support system at work that has really been a big help.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111289)
• El Paso, Texas
25 Aug 17
You are welcome @moffittjc
Does he have young children? It'll be so hard on his wife if he does.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Aug 17
@rebelann He has a daughter that is a junior at Auburn University, and a daughter who is a senior in high school.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40638)
• United States
24 Aug 17
I'm so sorry about your friend. It really does remind us how brief life is.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
If anything, it will help me refocus on what is most important in life.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
When they loaded him on the ambulance, I thought he would be fine. He was awake and alert, albeit a little disoriented and confused.
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc I'm so sorry he didn't make it. I know this will be a great loss to everyone.
1 person likes this
@poehere (15126)
• French Polynesia
25 Aug 17
@moffittjc I hope so too. My thoughts are with you and I hope everyone in the office can pull together and be there for the family.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Aug 17
@DianneN Don't you plan on going anywhere anytime soon! I want you to be around for a long time!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247219)
• United States
26 Aug 17
@moffittjc Thanks! I certainly wish the same for you!!!!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247219)
• United States
26 Aug 17
@moffittjc It's hard to do when it's someone you love, but life goes on.
1 person likes this
. I'm sorry for your loss@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Thank you Courtney. It was a big loss for all of us at work. Going to be hard shoes to fill. He was one of a kind.
2 people like this
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc I'm sure he was. 9 years is a long time working somewhere, must be hard
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
24 Aug 17
So sorry to hear this Jeff and sorry you had to experience it as well.
RIP the poor guy.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
24 Aug 17
That is why we retired early (early 50s) and moved south to enjoy life. You don't know when your time is...unfortunately for that man it was his time.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
25 Aug 17
@moffittjc When we did it and moved south we did not owe a penny to anyone and still don't...all 4 homes we paid cash for and all our vehicles were paid for in cash. We use one credit card which we pay off monthly. Good luck, you have a good goal. Just make sure you have enough to live on for the rest of your life.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Aug 17
@AbbyGreenhill I work for the government, so I will have a lifetime pension to live off of! Haha
Plus I have a 457, 401k, traditional IRA and Roth IRA. I think I'll be ok in retirement!
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
I'm aggressively paying down all my debt so when I retire in 4-5 years I will be 100% debt free. It will be nice to enjoy retirement at such a young age with little to no obligations to worry about!
@tessastv (273)
• Inverness, Scotland
25 Aug 17
@moffittjc The rightest thing to do. Prayers to his family..
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
I hope he is in a better place now. All of us at work are going to do everything we can to help the family.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
24 Aug 17
Oh no, Jeff, I am so sorry. There really is no rhyme or reason to as why someone who seems really fit is suddenly gone just like that. It is heart breaking. I did learn last year that nothing is guaranteed when my Mom landed in ICU for months on end. I cherish each and every second I have with her and my family and I realise what each day means. Again, I am so sorry you had to experience this. May he rest in peace. And I send you a massive hug.
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15023)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
24 Aug 17
@moffittjc , thank you and I hope all is well with you too. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Thank you Catherine, that means a lot. And I hope your mom is doing well (as well as you too)
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
At the very least it will bring us all closer together at work.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99423)
• Atlanta, Georgia
25 Aug 17
@moffittjc I'm sure it will. I'm sorry for his family. So young and not knowing he had any health problems.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118611)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 17
Thank you for your prayers! His family really needs them right now.
1 person likes this
