Dillon Decker
Flight Paramedic
2019 Nevada Star of Life

Dillon Decker is a Flight Paramedic for REACH based in in Ely, Nevada. Dillon is passionate about mobile healthcare because it empowers him to give others a second chance at life.

An experience recently shared with his flight partner, Ty LaRiviere, truly showcases their dedication to EMS. The patient was a three-year-old girl who arrived at the Emergency Department in arrest for unknown reasons. Upon further examination, it was determined that she had endured extreme abuse.

The team showed an overwhelming amount of compassion, empathy, and professionalism when caring for this little girl. They assisted the ED team with resuscitation, they prepared her for flight, then whisked her to Primary Children's Hospital. Because of the injuries she had sustained, her oxygen saturation repeated plummeted during flight. The pair leveraged their skills and experience to troubleshoot the ventilator and delivered her to Children Hospital alive and in better condition than when they picked her up.

Dillon and Ty did everything humanly possible to help her fight for life. Tragically, as sometimes happens in mobile healthcare, the tiny patient eventually succumbed to her injuries. However, she will not be forgotten by the heroes who never gave up trying.

When not caring for others, Dillon enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, hunting, video games, and spending time with his two beloved dogs.