An ordinary conversation about getting a driver’s license reinstated became a life-or-death emergency for Knox County employee Emily Ellis.
Ellis, a member of the Knox County Criminal Court Clerk’s Community Service Program, was visiting the American Job Center on Middlebrook Pike on April 9 when the man she was speaking with suddenly collapsed.
Ellis and an American Job Center employee immediately checked him for a pulse. They could not find one. As the man began turning blue, they started CPR.
For Ellis, training from an earlier chapter of her life suddenly became critical. Before joining the Criminal Court Clerk’s team, she had worked as a lifeguard at Dollywood’s Splash Country, where she learned lifesaving emergency procedures.
She put that training to work.
Emergency services were called, and when firefighters arrived, they determined the man had experienced an overdose and administered naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan. He was transported for medical care and recovered, according to Knox County officials.
Ellis’ actions did not go unnoticed.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs recognized her for her courage and quick response, saying her preparedness and compassion made a critical difference.
The Knox County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office was even more direct in its assessment: Ellis’ quick thinking and decisive response likely saved a life.
There is something fitting about a Community Service Program employee being recognized for service that went far beyond her job description. Ellis was there to help someone navigate the process of restoring a driver’s license. When that person needed something much more fundamental, she was prepared to help with that, too.
Sometimes going above and beyond means being willing to act when the moment arrives.
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