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Zydeco Musician/Paramedic Jumps Off Stage to Resuscitate Fan and then Continues His Set!

December 2004, Acadian News —It was a typical Saturday night at Tony's Dance Hall in Gueydan , Louisiana , while the crowd two-stepped to the Kickin' Cajuns' Zydeco music. Jamie Bergeron was singing and doing his thing with his accordion when he noticed several in the crowd looking panicstricken. He calmly dropped his accordion and jumped off the stage before the band knew he was gone.

Jamie-the-musician had gone into Jamie-the-paramedic mode and immediately determined that one of his fans had gone into cardiac arrest. Seventy-three-year-old Girlie Thibodeaux had just finished dancing and had sat down at her table. Minutes later, she lay on the floor without a pulse. An Acadian Ambulance paramedic of 14 years, Jamie began breathing life back into Thibodeaux. While he performed life-saver breathing, a first responder performed chest compressions.

Kickin'-Cajun-by-night, Paramedic-by-day Jamie Bergeron poses with his biggest fan, Girlie Thibodeaux.  Ms. Thibodeaux suffered a near-fatal heart attack during a performance by Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin' Cajuns.

The rescue unit from the Gueydan Fire Department received the call from 911. They brought in an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), and connected it to Thibodeaux. Her heart was shocked two times. “We got a pulse after the second shock,” said Fire Chief Troy LeBlanc. “I don't know what would have happened without the AED.”

Chief LeBlanc has high praise for the AED. Acadian Ambulance medics trained the fire department on how to use the equipment which been in use for about a year now.

Jamie called Acadian's communication center and made sure they were sending Air Med. He instructed the fire fighters to prepare a night landing zone outside.

Within minutes, Air Med arrived and prepared Thibodeaux for transport to Lafayette General Medical Center. While Thibodeaux remains in ICU recuperating, she is ever thankful that she chose to go hear the Kickin' Cajuns that night. Thinking about what could have happened, Thibodeaux becomes very emotional. “I wouldn't be here today, if it hadn't been for Jamie,” she cried. When asked when she plans to visit her favorite band again, Thibodeaux answered, “I'm going to follow him wherever he goes.”

After Thibodeaux was transported, Jamie suggested that everyone in the club take a little break. He announced that Thibodeaux was being transported by Air Med and asked that everyone keep her in their prayers. After visiting Thibodeaux in the hospital, and seeing her sitting up in bed and talking, he decided those prayers really worked.

“It doesn't usually happen like this,” Jamie said. “Not too often do you handle a cardiac arrest where the patient gets CPR within seconds, and then you get to visit them in the hospital a couple of days later. This was awesome.”

On Jamie's Web site for his band, kickincajuns.com, you will see a picture of a very young Jamie working his day job as an Acadian paramedic and the statement “he balances his life-saving job with his music career.” While this is true, his band didn't really think of him as a life-saver until they witnessed the near-fatal incident Saturday night.

According to Jamie's manager, John Dwyer, the band has a newfound respect for Jamie. They think of Jamie more as a musician than anything else, and would often joke with him about his “day job.” Now that they've seen him in action, they have a deep respect for his medical skills.

“We all got a little nervous when we saw Mrs. Thibodeaux lying on the floor,” explained John. “It was apparent by her lifeless body and her family's reactions that the situation was very serious. When we saw Jamie jump off the stage and start performing CPR and then using the AED … we were in shock. It was really something to see him work like that. He just automatically turned into a paramedic. And when it was all over, he started playing again and finished his set!”

A native of Mire, Louisiana, Jamie was raised in a French-speaking, Cajun family. He grew up listening to his dad play the accordion at their family gatherings and always knew that one day he would follow in his father's footsteps. He also knew that he wanted to help people and has been fulfilling that dream at Acadian Ambulance Service as a paramedic for the last 14 years. But, now Jamie fulfills another dream. A late starter, Jamie began playing the accordion only 6 years ago, and is making up for lost time with the Kickin' Cajuns.

Any job in the emergency medical services profession is extremely stressful. Kicking up the dust with a little Zydeco at the end of the day is just the right ingredient to keep Jamie's career perfectly balanced.

Jamie Bergeron does it again!

Northwest Airlines Customer Services Manager Pat Gistarb presents a letter of commendation to Jamie Bergeron for providing medical assistance during a flight to a fellow passenger. Bergeron, an Acadian Ambulance paramedic by day, is a musician by night with “Jamie Bergeron & the Kicking’ Cajuns.” The band was on their way to Washington, DC to play for a Louisiana Congressional function when a fellow passenger collapsed in the aisle.

Contact: W. Keith Simon, VP, PR & Marketing, 1.800.259.3333

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, April 8, 2005

Jamie Bergeron does it again! You may recall that last December, Jamie Bergeron, “paramedic-by-day, Kickin’ Cajun-by-night” saved the life of one of his fans when she collapsed on the dance floor. Well, this time Jamie was on his way to Washington, DC with his band, The Kickin’ Cajuns, to perform at a Louisiana congressional function.

They were approximately 15 minutes from landing when Jamie noticed a fellow passenger looking pale and in obvious distress. The flight attendant led the passenger to the back of the plane to assist him when he collapsed in the aisle. He was not breathing. Jamie immediately came to the man’s aid and resuscitated him. He was handed a medical bag by the flight attendant and was able to provide airway management and start an IV.

Just like in Girlie Thibodaux’s story, this one had a happy ending. The passenger survived. The pilot made an emergency landing, and the patient was immediately transported to a hospital.

Northwest Airlines is very appreciative of Jamie’s heroic efforts and sent him a letter of commendation for his medical assistance and willingness to become involved.

A native of Mire, Louisiana, Jamie Bergeron is a paramedic stationed in Acadia Parish. He has been with Acadian Ambulance since 1991. To learn more about Jamie or hear his music, visit www.kickincajuns.com.