Dalton Stewart, a seven-year veteran at Pafford Medical Services, exemplifies the spirit of the American Ambulance Association’s 2024 Star of Life. His EMS journey is marked by an appreciation for the profession’s dynamic nature—no day is the same, offering new challenges and opportunities to make a significant impact. Dalton’s dedication shines through in his daily commitment to positive patient outcomes, deeply valuing the ability to bring comfort and care during critical moments.

Recognized for his adaptability and continuous pursuit of knowledge, Dalton advocates for ongoing education within EMS, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. His advice to peers and newcomers—never stop learning and always be ready to adapt—highlights his proactive approach to professional growth and excellence in patient care.

Outside of his lifesaving work, Dalton unwinds by playing guitar, singing, and hunting, sharing these moments with his family. His recognition as a Star of Life is a testament to his profound impact on both his patients and the broader EMS community.

Preston Crotwell is being honored for his leadership and service at a mass shooting incident that happened last April at the Mississippi Mudbug Festival. Preston and his partner were at the weekend event, serving as standby EMS, when gunshots rang out at the fairgrounds. Preston, a former Marine Corps rifleman, quickly took charge, collaborating with law enforcement while tending to the injured. One person was killed and at least six more were shot that day.

Preston, who served as the lead for managing the mass casualty incident, collaborated with his partner in performing all the roles of EMS command. They ensured swift and effective patient triage and treatment and led some mobile EMS interventions as well.

A well-spoken EMS professional who is highly adaptable, especially in stressful situations, Preston is a dedicated first responder who puts others first. He is an inspiration to his teammates and leaders.

Timothy Sanders has served Baptist Ambulance, part of the Priority Ambulance family, since 2018. He has more than 29 years of experience in EMS. Timothy has diverse experience in multiple states and has served as a Field Paramedic, Field Training Officer, Shift Supervisor, County Operations Manager, Flight Paramedic, and Educator.

Timothy currently serves as a Shift Lead with Baptist Ambulance Service in Mississippi. He actively teaches many EMS educational courses. Timothy believes education and continuing training are keys to an exceptional EMS provider.

Tim’s depth of field experience and passion for education recently resulted in his selection to develop and present “EMS & Trauma – Past, Present, Future” at a Regional Trauma Conference in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Pafford Medical Services honors the legacy of Luke Jarrell, whose distinguished career in EMS spanned more than twenty years. This included a decade of dedicated service as a licensed Paramedic with Pafford. Luke’s journey into this profession commenced during his tenure as a firefighter, where his compassion and a profound desire to extend assistance to those in their most critical time of need led him into the realm of pre-hospital care.

Renowned for his benevolent spirit, Luke harbored an unwavering commitment and pursuit of excellence in patient care. His relentless study and review of medical materials ensured that his patients received the highest quality care possible.

As Luke’s hard-fought battle with cancer came to an end, his legacy is an enduring testament to his steadfast dedication and selfless service and the indelible mark that he left on his community. He touched countless lives and forged lasting friendships in his beloved home of Tunica, Mississippi.

Luke’s wife Debra shared,

“While I can’t tell you the exact emotions that Luke would feel with being selected as this year’s Star of Life for Pafford, I can tell you how I feel. I am extremely proud of him for his years of dedication and service to the community. Luke cared for the community and the people of Tunica. He changed the lives of some and made friends with many.
As his wife, I feel very honored that he was selected. My only wish is that he were here to receive it for himself and to be as proud as his family is.

As someone who is also in the EMS field, there are many rewarding parts, especially the family and friends that you make along the way. Your coworkers become a part of the life you have strived so hard to build. Ultimately, they become a permanent part of your family. What people fail to realize when coming into the EMS profession is that your family, both work and home, become your backbone and your support. That is where your success comes from in this field.

I would like to thank Pafford Medical Service and his work family, for everything that you have done for Luke during his time as an employee, and for everything that you have done for us, his home family, during this difficult time. Thank you for honoring him and his memory as a Paramedic and selecting him for this award.”

James Tarver is being honored as a Star of Life for his dedication, motivation, and composure in his supervisory role, even as he deals with health challenges of being on hemodialysis. James is highly respected by his coworkers who view him as a teacher who is always available for one-on-one talks. He stays updated on all current clinical training as well as non-clinical matters that influence the EMS industry. He is not only the go-to expert of the operation but often is its face, presenting programs to the public in his articulate, assured manner that puts all at ease. James serves as the Trauma Network Manager, a job that requires an extensive audit of Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement practices. In the seven years he has been in that role, his operation has remained at the top of their EMS Region in compliance.

James has been in EMS since 1994 and joined AMR 11 years ago. He has served as a firefighter and as an off-shore paramedic. Even while awaiting a kidney donor (he has one!) James voluntarily picked up 58 extra shifts (694.75 hours) in 2019, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to patient care.

Headed to work on a rural road one morning last year, Courtney saw a van hit a tree. She stopped to help and, on approaching the van, noticed smoke coming from the hood. The driver was still inside.  

Courtney opened the door and told the man he needed to get away fast. It was then that Courtney saw that the man was a paraplegic who drove with hand controls. Courtney single-handedly pulled the man to safety. Before the vehicle became an inferno, Courtney ran back to it and retrieved the man’s wheelchair.

Courtney assessed the driver and called 911. The man was released from the hospital shortly after the incident. The Hinds County Board of Supervisors presented Courtney, who was just 22 at the time, with its Above and Beyond Award for her actions. Courtney was also named one of 28 statewide “Healthcare Heroes” for 2018.

Courtney is a volunteer Firefighter and also works with a non-profit organization that provides horseback rides for thousands of disabled individuals. 

For the past seven years, Eva Parfait has led AMR’s “Safe Ride Home” project in the Jackson area. The project keeps hundreds of drunk drivers off the road every New Year’s Eve by offering free rides home for party-goers. Eva recruits co-workers to drive passenger vans rented for the project, pulls other resources together, contributes to media publicity and coordinates the vans’ travels through the night. Eva has also participated in several dramatic rescues in recent years. Last November, she responded to a scene with passengers in a vehicle that was upside-down in frigid rushing water. The current knocked a police officer off his feet, putting his life in jeopardy. Eva and others went into the water to pull the officer to safety.The Mayor of Jackson and the City Council publicly recognized Eva and the other rescuers. Eva has worked in the ambulance field for 24 years.The Mississippi EMT Association named Eva the statewide EMT of the Year for 2013 ?xad 2014. One of Eva’s sons followed her example and became a paramedic and EMS training officer for a city fire department. Eva is a newlywed, having tied the knot just this past January.”

The night of July 31, 2013, EMT Jonathan Blackwell visibly demonstrated the bond between members of an ambulance crew. That night, Jonathan and his partner, Jennifer Hesselbein, were evaluating a patient lying in the middle of the street. Suddenly, Jonathan saw a vehicle veer across the double yellow line and head straight towards them. He yanked Jennifer from certain death. The out-of-control vehicle killed their patient and nearly killed Jennifer, knocking her under the ambulance. Jonathan pulled her from beneath ambulance, called for backup and helped her until more AMR crews arrived. Jonathan was unharmed but Jennifer suffered numerous severe injuries from head to toe on her left side. She underwent 18 surgeries. She spent months in a surgical ICU and weeks at a rehab hospital. She went home in a wheelchair on December 5. Almost every day, Jonathan was at the hospital, doing anything he could for “Jenn” and her family. He helped organize and conduct fundraisers to defray Jennifer’s medical expenses. Jonathan speaks about his experience at EMT classes and first responder courses as part of safety education. Known to everyone as “Popcorn,” Jonathan became an EMT in 2011. He was promoted to field training officer last year. He is openly admired by his co-workers for strong clinical skills and deep compassion.”

Public service has been the focus of Pat’s career. Indeed, he has a total of 35 years of public service experience—28 years with the Clarksdale Fire Department, where he attained the rank of assistant chief, and 12 years with Pafford.

He has been a valued member of the Pafford EMS team since he joined the company full-time after retiring from the fire department. 

Pat demonstrates a true commitment to his patients and keeps his lines of communication open to family members, readily answering their questions, and often making sure patients are doing well after the call. He goes beyond the call of duty.

Pat aims to provide optimal service to patients and he leads by example, supporting his coworkers in their quest to offer the finest care. He single-handedly revamped our station supply system for improved accessibility and inventory—the behind-the-scenes work that’s not always seen but keeps the company running at top efficiency.

He is a can-do medic who is always willing to help out around the station, no matter what the task. He’ll happily stay over covering shifts, building cabinets, or giving the rookie crew members sound advice. He takes the initiative to improve the workplace and the company’s morale—and save lives.

Pat has been honored by Pafford twice with the Johnny Gage Award for most patients transported in his district.

He displays a true example of giving your all and asking for nothing in return, each and every day. We are so pleased to nominate him as our Star of Life for our Mississippi operation.

Jimmy and his partner were returning a patient to his nursing home when another vehicle smashed into their ambulance twice, flipping the truck onto its side. Jimmy suffered potentially life-threatening head, neck, and chest injuries.

Despite his serious trauma, Jimmy continued to focus on his patient. Jimmy told rescuers to remove his patient from the ambulance first. At the hospital, from his own stretcher, Jimmy saw his patient wheeled by. Jimmy called out to the patient’s nurse and gave her a detailed report, just as he does with anyone in his care.

While recovering, Jimmy missed four months of field work. During that time, Jimmy taught classes as one of his operation’s Field Training Officers.

Jimmy’s supervisors said, “He is excellent in all that he does. Jimmy personifies everything a Paramedic should be: skilled, deeply compassionate, a patient advocate, and a mentor to his colleagues.”

Jimmy is also known for helping his co-workers with their personal needs. As one co-worker said, “I think helping others is simply in his genes.” 

Michael Collums was doing the work that he loved and had done with excellence when he was killed in the line of duty on February 21, 2017. An EMT with more than 20 years of service, Mike was responding to an emergency patient when his ambulance collided with another vehicle. Mike was 54 years old.

Mike’s greatest passions were his sons, grandsons, and protecting the community as an EMT. Mike’s co-workers valued his reliability, attention to detail, and good humor. Mike was meticulous in all he did and he held others to that same high standard. Mike’s pride in his work showed in the crisp uniform he always wore.

As with many of us, Mike had a second occupation. Mike was also the safety coordinator and part of the office staff at a welding company.

Mike encouraged his wife, Gwen, to become an EMT. Gwen is now in her 12th year of service.

Mike left a legacy as a model EMT, devoted public guardian and beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and co-worker. A most humble man, Mike would have said, “I was just doing my job.”

Pafford EMS of Mississippi is proud to honor Jonathan Watkins as an American Ambulance Association 2016 Star of Life. Jonathan’s steadfast attitude makes him shine beyond measure in every task at hand.

Jonathan graduated from Phillips Community College in 2007 as an EMT Basic. While attending paramedic school at East Arkansas Community College, Jonathan worked as an EMT Basic and 911 dispatcher. After earning his degree, Jonathan
worked as a Paramedic for three years in Arkansas, where on two occasions he worked with the US Secret Service to provide medical coverage for the Vice President of the United States during his hunting trips.

In June 2010, Jonathan transitioned to Mississippi as a Pafford employee. He is a Field Training Officer and a Station Supervisor. Jonathan is recognized by his fellow employees, his patients, and their families as a trustworthy, determined, sincere, and hardworking medic.

Despite the stress of an EMS job, Jonathan treats each person with the same level of compassion regardless of the type of call, the time of day, or the circumstances. His willingness to share his skills, knowledge, and experience demonstrates that he is a positive role model at Pafford EMS. Jonathan also spends much of his off time serving as an EMS liaison to the local hospital.

Jonathan not only loves what he does, but his care and concern on each call is evident to the people he serves. On several occasions Pafford EMS has received phone calls and letters thanking Jonathan for his care. It has been said, “When I see Jonathan, I know everything is going to be alright.”

Pafford EMS is honored to award Jonathan with an American Ambulance Association 2016 Star of Life.

In January 2015, a pickup truck flipped several times directly in front of Ryan and his partners’ ambulance. On approaching the vehicle, they saw the engine was smoking. The doors wouldn’t open. While Ryan’s partner pulled the driver through the window, Ryan yanked and kicked the passenger-side door wide enough to free the two other occupants. Moments later, the truck burst into flames. Coincidentally, the TV news crew was right behind the ambulance when the crash happened. The TV crew filmed the rescue and the video went viral on social media sites – showing these heroic
actions to a worldwide audience.

But this triple save isn’t the only reason Ryan is a Star of Life. He is one of the best field training officers at his operation. He and his partner placed second in AMR’s southern regional competition on clinical and safety skills, plus the Mississippi EMT Association named Ryan the statewide 2015 Paramedic of the Year. For his FTO talents, superior patient care and leadership ability, he was promoted to clinical manager late last year.

Ryan and his wife, an emergency nurse, stay busy with their five children. AMR Mississippi is proud to nominate Ryan Wilson as an American Ambulance Association 2016 Star of Life.