Henry Barsh

Henry Barsh is being honored as a 2024 Star of Life for his quick actions in recognizing symptoms of a stroke, which directly led to saving the life of a mother of three. Henry and his partner arrived on scene of a 911 call where the patient reported pain in her left arm which was the result, she said, of an assault the previous night. Through a quick assessment, Henry recognized the true nature of her pain—left-side weakness nearing paralysis, hallmarks of an active stroke.

Henry immediately placed a C-collar on the patient and called a rapid-trauma alert. He suspected possible spinal damage as the underlying cause of the stroke and began doing everything to support the patient’s shallow breathing and reduce her motion. Upon arrival at the healthcare facility, the patient was immediately brought into the trauma bay, where she was assessed and received imaging that showed multiple cervical fractures with transection of the left vertebral artery. The hospital staff commended Henry on his immediate life-saving actions.