HERO MEDIC HAS BOUNCED BACK
APARAMEDIC who nearly lost his life after a horror accident has been hailed a hero for his work during the coronavirus pandemic. Joe McNaughton, 48, has “bounced back” from a crash which left him in intensive care to spearhead efforts at the temporary NHS Louisa Jordan Hospital.
The Springboig man was a passenger in an ambulance four years ago and punctured his lung when it was hit by a lorry.
He has devoted his life to the health service since leaving school at 17 and is a frontline paramedic in the Scottish Ambulance Service’s Glasgow East station.
Joe is currently working as a team leader at the SEC-based hospital during the Covid-19 outbreak and has been nominated by his wife Irene to be honoured in today’s Glasgow Times.
She says he has refused to let the accident stop him and instead he continues to help people who need him the most.
Irene, 44, said: “He’s just an amazing guy and a really selfless person.
“He’s devoted his life to serving others and the health service, working with the NHS since he left school at 17.
“He’s helped so many during his time and been through quite a lot.
“He’s really good at his job and such a special person.”
As well as his work, Joe is currently studying remotely for a degree in paramedical science at Stirling University and loves to devote time to his allotment.
Irene, who has kids Sean, 17, and Caitlin, 13, with Joe, added: “It was a scary time when he had his accident.
“He was a passenger when a lorry crashed into the side of the ambulance and he bore the brunt of it.
“He’s just bounced back from it and got back into doing what he does to help others.”
Meanwhile, a selfless nurse is devoting all of her efforts to vulnerable patients during lockdown.
Coatbridge woman Andrea Jaap, 49, has been praised by her sisterin-law June for going above and beyond at Monklands Hospital, in Airdrie.
The mother-of-two is taking on extra hours while having to deal with the difficulties of not seeing her family due to social distancing measures.
June’s twin boys Anthony and Thomas celebrated their eighth birthday last week but she could only join in the party via video chat.
June, 41, said: “Andrea is finding it very emotional at the moment and it’s not made any easier by not being able to see the family.
“She’s putting herself and her health in danger every day to help others, to help keep us safe.
“She’s taking on extra hours and does it all without complaining.”
Andrea is married to Paul, 50, and mother to William, 30, and 28-year-old Thomas.
June, who is mother to Ella, 6, said: “We’re all so proud of her for what she’s doing.
“People are so thankful for what nurses are doing”
Finally, a Castlemilk man is pushing himself every day to do his bit in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
Joseph Clancy, 30, is a domestic and is doing all he can to help, even refusing to take time off so he “doesn’t let anyone down”.
He previously worked in the Western Infirmary after completing Project SEARCH, a course for young people with learning disabilities.
Joseph was born prematurely but his dad Joe says it hasn’t stopped him from achieving so much.
Joe, 62, said: “He puts in all of the extra time to help people and thinks he’s letting them down if he takes time off.
“They temporarily moved him out of his ward into another and the nurses were saying how delighted they were to have him back when he returned.
“He’s such a good person and phones me every night to check in and make sure I’m okay.”