A life-changing event created a life-long friendship between a 90-year-old man and two Lafayette Police officers. Bill Huebner was involved in an accident on the morning of March 22, 2023, on Camellia Boulevard during his daily walk, "As I walked across the road, I looked all the way to the right, and I saw a truck coming and I decided that he was coming to fast, so I started to run." At that moment, the truck hit Mr. Bill. "I thought I had tripped at first. I thought I had tripped then after landing I looked down and saw there was a little blood, so I knew something had happened," said Mr. Bill. He didn't realize the truck had severed his leg. At that same time, Lafayette Police Corporals Katelynn Chautin and Sara Leger were responding to a different call. "I was like planning five different ways to go and then I finally decided on Camellia so from Ambassador, take Kaliste Saloom to Camellia. As soon as I turn on Camellia, I see people standing in the road," said Chautin.
Chautin decided to stop and noticed two medical professionals tending to Mr. Bill, "At that moment, I'm like what do ya'll need? They're like we need pressure dressing. They already had his leg elevated and everything set. So, I'm like I got a tourniquet, put a tourniquet on. As I'm doing that, traffic is still moving so finally got the traffic stopped, putting the tourniquet on, Mr. Bill is just lying there. He's alert. He's able to talk. He's probably the calmest one on scene." Chautin then called Corporal Leger for backup. Leger is former Army, and both officers are medics on the SWAT team. "Knowing Katelynn, she knows me. It was just automatic. We had to go. We're buying milliseconds at this time," said Leger. Firefighters then put Mr. Bill in Leger's squad car. They made it to the hospital within a couple of minutes, "They took charge. There wasn't much hesitation in them. I mean they did what they had to do," said Mr. Bill.
Mr. Bill's son, Chuck Huebner, said their quick actions saved his dad's life, "The two officers being right there at the right time and having the right training and the iniative not to wait on an ambulance, put dad in the back of the squad car....I mean all those things combined saved his life that morning." The accident removed the lower part of Mr. Bill's leg, but doctors had to go in and amputate up to above his knee, but that came with many risks. "The doctor was very frank, very honest with us and he said that this could go a number of ways. He said this is just the beginning of the process. There could be an infection. We may have to go in and operate again. We're just going to have to wait and see," said Huebner. Thankfully, there were no issues. Mr. Bill is now in therapy at Moreau Physical and getting stronger each day with the help of a prosthesis, "We took one of our trial microprocessor knees which we keep in the office, and I said let's go to rehab, let's meet your therapist let's give this a shot," said Jason Valdetero, Hanger Clinic: Prosthetics & Orthotics. Mr. Bill is now thriving in his recovery, "I just made up my mind. I have to do it and I'm going to do it. I won't quit," said Mr. Bill.
Mr. Bill is looking forward to the day he can go for a walk again. He recently celebrated his 91st birthday with Corporal Leger by his side. The three of them now share an unbreakable bond, "Months later, here were with a new friendship," said Leger. Mr. Bill grateful for both of them, "I'm thankful that Katelynn and Sara came by because I think otherwise I wouldn't be here."
Corporals Chautin and Leger were honored with the Life Saving Award on October 25th and Mr. Bill was right there to celebrate them.
