911 dispatch workers go above and beyond, South Bend man gives personal thanks

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Charles Maichen had a bad fall last week taking out the trash when he slipped and fell on his icy driveway.

Cold, hurt, and unable to lift himself back up, Maichen knew he had to call for help.

"I decided to call 911, which I did, and this lady answered the phone, she was super nice, understanding of what I was going through, very professional," he said.  

Help arrived shortly after he made that call, but the dispatch workers on the other end of 911 made sure he didn’t fall again.

"The lady from 911 called me back and said her friend was getting off work soon. She would bring over a bag of salt," he said. "Thank you very much. It was super helpful. I didn't ask for that. I didn't ask at all. They were so helpful. I do appreciate it."

Maichen says his wife was always the one to care for him until she died a few months ago.

He wanted to thank the dispatchers who went above and beyond to help him, so ABC57 returned to his home with the women from St. Joseph County 911 dispatch.

Jennifer Boling took his call for help.

"It's nice to get to meet him and know that he is okay," she said.  

Her colleague, Katie Schermier, stopped by his home after her shift to salt his driveway.

"It's rare that we get to see, from start to finish, how that call goes. So it was really, actually, nice to see the outcome after the fact," Schermier said.  "I think it's just important to know, I would want my family members to have people respond that same way." 

Maichen got his wish, letting first responders know how much their good deeds are appreciated.

"I am a veteran, discharged from the United States Army back in 1962," he said, "To all the people who helped… I salute you."