It was a cold February morning, the temps were well below -30c and I slepthorriblee the night before. The day was Feb 7th 1996 , how could I forget it ?

The clock radio buzzer sounded at 7:00am, ah yes another day in the frozen north Ontario but this day was to change my life forever.

I had a girlfriend at the time and my sons were very young , under the age of 6 so mornings in the house were hectic as her and I hurried to get ready for work.

The phone rang at 7:45am....which seemed kinda odd, I mean who calls at that hour ?

My father was on the other end , asking me if I could help him with my mother.

I asked dad " Help, with mom..why whats up " ?

He replied " She is sick, she isn't herself..I need your help to take her to the hospital ".

Now my parents are not spring chickens at that time, and they did live on the 5th floor of a hi rise so Itold my dad I would drive over ASAP.

The girlfriend decided I should take the boys, and she would assist my dad in getting my mom into the car.

I agreed, and she drove to my parents hi rise , she got there by 8:00am.

She called me to tell me " Your mom is very sick, were going to call an ambulance , this doesn't look very good ."

I was worried as anyone could be, and asked the lady next door to watch my boys for me, as I was going to also head over to my parents place.

The nice lady ( Reggie ) agreed, and I took the boys to her place, just next door.

I was getting my Arctic wears on , when the phone rang again it was 8:15 am , my dad called to say the Ambulance arrived.

Now I worked for a TV news Dept and at that time was shooting news ( ENG ) and scanners are a part of our equipment so to say. The pro 34 was all set to go that morning.

When I thought about it, I realized " I don't have the 2nd car...it was in the shop "

So I undressed the artic clothes, then thought " Why don't I fire up the Pro 34 and when the Ambulance goes in service I can hear my moms condition , I mean after all she isn't suffering any serious illness "

I got the Pro 34 tuned into the Ambulance Dispatch in hopes to hear something on her condition , I was very worried.

The pro 34 crackled to life with the sound of the repeaters " Squawk " which I've heard a zillion times, and even the Priority codes..10 codes..in that occupation I knew them all by heart .

I sat there.........waiting for the transmission to go like " Sudbury 5118 , were 10 - 8 Priority 1 with a 58 yr old female complaining of breathing problems "

Instead at 8:18am , the pro 34 did ' Squawk '...and the transmission came to life.

I thought about time , I really want to know her condition , and it so happens that a good friend of mine was the Paramedic on scene as well.

What follows is the exact trail of events.

"5118 Sudbury "
"Sudbury 5118 ,go ahead"
"5118 is 10-8 Priority 4 , currently VSA..ETA 4 mins " "Sudbury, copy eta 4 mins travelling VSA"

VSA I knew too well.......VITAL SIGNS ABSENT

She was gone..........................forever.

And I had to hear it on a scanner of all things.

I dropped the Pro 34...........and stared at it....when it hit the floor.....the squelch opened and the rush of white noise filled the room.

At 8:20am she was pronounced dead, by a Medical Doctor.

My girlfriend called me at 8:30am to inform me.........however when she did... My reply was " I know.........I know "

Being the son of a Police Officer I got my 1st scanner in 1975 as a gift from dad so I could hear my dad at work. Oh yes, all 3 crystals !

By now tho, the scanner was a vital part of my equipment for television news.

Not that morning tho, that transmission was the last I would ever hear for 7 years.

I had sold or given away every scanner I had, I kept one tho a BearCat 590 XLT , but it was packed away.

In 1999 I met my wife, it was then I realized it wasn't anyone fault, not the scanners...Paramedics..no ones fault..she had died of a heart attack...very sudden without warning.

Guess why Im spilling my guts here on a website is because I hope you know what you hear on these radios, may very well be our loved ones!

i cant put in any words how I felt that cold feb day, my heart sunk......tears streamed down my face , and the sound of that open squelch went on for what seemed hours.

I once re wrote this story and sent it to JT Ward , writer for POP - COMM

He could not publish the story, in his words " my parents are older as well, I cannot imagine how you must have felt, I haven't the heart or will power to publish this as a letter or otherwise..I kept thinking that could have been me "

I would urge you to always be careful about what you hear....and if you do find yourself one day in the position I was in and I hope you do not, please turn off your units if you know its someone you love or know very well....I wish I had.