A DoorDash driver in Massachusetts saved a customer’s life during one of her delivery stops on February 11.
That night, Caryn Hebert Sullivan and her husband, Robert Sullivan, had just returned to their home on West Island, Fairhaven, and ordered a pizza from Papa Gino’s.
Sophia Furtado, who was almost at the end of her shift, delivered the order to the address. But when she reached the house around 10 p.m., she found Caryn lying on the ground outside, unconscious and bleeding from her head.
Caryn, who had a previous arm injury and a bad knee, had been waiting outside for the pizza. When she turned, she remembered her arm and knee giving out. She ended up falling and hit her head on the way down.
She thought her life was going to end right then and there.
“I just remember laying on my driveway thinking ‘This is pretty much over,’” she said. “I was laying there and saw a lot of white clouds.”
Luckily, her DoorDash driver had medical knowledge from her previous training as an Emergency Medical Technician.
Sophia noticed that Caryn’s blood was congealing and estimated that she had been lying there unconscious for about 15 to 20 minutes.
She said Caryn was “unresponsive,” and her “eyes kept rolling to the back of her head.” Sophia feared her customer wasn’t going to make it.
Robert, who had fallen asleep while waiting for their food, awoke to Sophia’s calls for help. The delivery driver instructed him to get some supplies while she dialed 911.
While speaking with a dispatcher, the DoorDasher wrapped Caryn in a blanket and used a towel to apply light pressure to her wound. She refused to leave the scene even after officers and paramedics had arrived.
“At that moment, Sophia became a part of our team to aid Caryn.” Officer Jillian Jodoin of the Fairhaven Police Department told CNN. “I asked her if it was possible for her to keep stabilizing Caryn’s neck to keep her spine safe, her answer was, ‘I’m not going anywhere.’”
Sophia stayed with Caryn until the latter was brought to the hospital.
Following the incident, Caryn stayed in the hospital for three weeks after undergoing emergency surgery for two severe brain bleeds.
Caryn returned home in March, but she couldn’t drive, write, and struggled to walk. Even after being deemed fully recovered by the end of March, Caryn said she’s still working on some things.
Unfortunately, she lost 60% of her hearing, but she can now drive short distances.
Sophia and Caryn developed a friendship after the traumatic experience.
“I am so thankful for her, she’s my guardian angel,” Caryn said. “Thank God she was there, if she wasn’t there, I’d be dead.”
The pair have met each other’s families, and Caryn even gave Sophia’s two kids Easter gifts.
Sophia was recognized for her heroic efforts at a recent ceremony. DoorDash also awarded her a $1,000 educational grant.
The Fairhaven Police department also presented Sophia with a lifesaving award.
“What Sophia did that night is not something anyone would just do. We have all worked long enough in this field to have seen people walk away, run away, drive away, pull out their phone, or simply just watch. She saved a life,” Officer Jodoin said.
“I was not expecting it at all,” Sophia said of the recognition. “I would’ve done that for anyone.”
A local emergency training school gave Sophia a discount for its EMT-Basic Course so she wouldn’t have to pay anything if she wanted to enroll.
Sophia had previously been a DoorDash delivery driver and retook the job in January. She hoped to use the extra money she would earn for EMT school.
The newfound friends said they plan to stay in touch and meet up again.
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