Honorees

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Year Honored
1999
Honoree
Rick W. Vinzant
Title
EMT
Agency
City of Louisville EMS
Agency City
Louisville
Agency State
Kentucky
Last Call
2/3/1983
Cause of Death
On-duty Cardiac
Biography
Rick knew he would die young, an EMT with heart problems, but it never affected his unselfishness. "He would literally give the shirt off his back to someone he thought needed it more." "He was a caring guy, with a wonderful attitude, and EMS was his life." "It seemed like he was always there when you needed him," said Sgt. Kevin Johnson.Rick William Vinzant's work spanned SS. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital and Yellow Cab Ambulance Service. In 1997, his dream came true of becoming an Emergency Medical Services Technician. He was an EMT and a dispatcher for the City of Louisville EMS and Louisville Fire and Rescue. Rick was sergeant-in-arms for the Emergency Medical Services Employee Association and was a member of the Kentucky Rescue Association.Rick William Vinzant, 28, died on the run - a run. A man had been shot in the leg, and a backup was needed. It call for Vinzant, an EMS technician. The shooting victim survived. Vinzant, who had had heart trouble since youth, died of a heart attack. "If he ever had to pick his time, this was it. One of his favorite runs was a shooting because you really have the chance to give immediate help. He enjoyed the excitement of it, I'm sure that's the way he wanted it," said a partner of Vinzant's.Survivors are his father, Roy Vinzant, mother, Helen Vinzant, three brothers, David, Terry and Timothy Vinzant, two sisters, Sharon Myers and Teresa Vinzant.Honored 1999