BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — Alex Pasculle just got his master's degree in molecular biology at Bloomsburg University. Just this past Tuesday, he found out he's going to medical school in Michigan.
Alex is also an emergency medical technician.
"I've always been into preparedness and emergency response," Alex, who is still finishing up research projects at the university, said.
Last month, he was in a school lab – prepping to dissect a brain – when a call came in on his radio.
"I had a lab partner that was there, that was like, of course," he said.
Alex rushed two buildings down, arriving at a student who had been seizing for about ten minutes.
"With someone seizing for that long, you have immediate concerns of their airway," he said.
Alex opened the student's airway, maintaining breathing and circulation.
"It's the most important thing because, without those three things, you are no longer living," student Erik Josephson said.
Erik, a sophomore nursing major at the university, has a busy schedule in addition to his classes and clinicals. He works at Geisinger Medical Center as a critical care driver for life light – and at the University Police station, helping fellow students out.
Erik is also an EMT for Bloomsburg Volunteer Ambulance, along with Alex.
Erik was on the ambulance when that call came in. Being a student, he was able to quickly navigate the campus for the best place to park.
"When someone has a medical emergency," Erik said, "that first five minutes, especially pre-hospital, is super important, and being able to say that I helped. That he was safe and able to get the help that he needed was really amazing to me."
The school says the student is doing well now. The university recently recognized Alex and Erik's heroic efforts, with the school's "Husky Hero Award."
"Alex and Eric are EMTs here as volunteers, as students, for them to give back to the community. We're just very proud of the fact our students do these sorts of things," Tom McGuire, Bloomsburg University, said.
But that's not why they do it.
"It's definitely a little weird," Erik said. "I don't like to be the center of attention. As a volunteer and an EMS provider, we really don't get this recognition."
Both Alex and Erik say they are in situations where they are able to help out quite often.
When Alex was 18 and a senior at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, there was a stabbing inside his school. Alex made national headlines for his fast actions, racing to grab his first aid bag from his car and helping victims.
"I would say that these types of things happen a lot to me," Alex said.
"All the time," Erik added. "I like to say that, like whenever I work, we're always at the right place at the right time."
Some call them heroes. But they'll just say they were in the right place at the right time.
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