Waterford man, John Tierney is marking 42 years of service with the National Ambulance Service.
A ceremony was held for staff where long service medals were presented to National Ambulance Service colleagues in the Department of Nursing in University Hospital Waterford.
Born into the Ambulance Service
John was born in Waterford into a stronghold of the healthcare professional with his mother Bridget a nurse, and his father Jack also working with the ambulance service.
It was how his parents met and fell in love and they raised their family here in Waterford, with John and his sister spending time being raised on the grounds of the hospital in accommodation provided for ambulance staff.
He was born in the maternity ward (which is now the Waterford Ambulance Station base), he was christened on site and in many ways he never left.
For the Waterford man, his upbringing was so impactful that he knew he would join the National Ambulance Service and he embarked on the required training after school and never looked back.
A Life in the Ambulance Service
Joining Ollie and Dymphna on air on The Big Breakfast Blaa, John said while the landscape of the role has changed over the last 4 decades, his love and passion for the job role never has.
Each day involves meeting people at various stages of grief, of trauma, of gratitude and of joy.
And so many of those people have returned over the years to thank John for being the difference in their life, whether that be through his life-saving care, his careful manner, or his supportive presence during a difficult time.
The kind words said about his father, his mother, his uncle, and his grandfather are now being echoed when speaking about John.
‘John is a gentleman’ is often the phrase heard when someone speaks of John, and his humble nature befits such a description.
The Running Man
A life in the ambulance is not for everyone, and while the colleagues who surround John are very much his ‘family’, he maintains a strong love for running, for cycling, and for reading.
He can often be seen running around Barcelona, Lanzarote, the London Marathon, the Viking Marathon and many more.
This, he says, refills his cup and allows his to return reinvigorated and ready to help.
Because that’s what John does, for 42 years, he has helped.
Many returned home to their families because John helped, and for those who were left holding grief after unimaginable trauma, John was the calming face who knew that words could not undo the pain.
Listen back to the full interview with John on The Big Breakfast Blaa.
