Sharon and Gary Kennebeck are long-time residents of Wabasha and the Pepin township. Gary Kennebeck fell off a tanker 26 years ago at his job at Dairyland Power and recalled a bumpy ride on a transfer to Mayo Clinic, where a surgeon saved his arm. Now 26 years later, his wife Sharon found herself on an ambulance ride to Mayo Clinic. She needed a lifesaving transport for a dangerous heart attack. Both stopped by the Wabasha Ambulance ahead of National EMS Week to thank the Wabasha Ambulance Service providers for this vital service.
Sharon went to St. Elizabeth’s on April 6, 2026 for chest pains that weren’t going away. It turned out she was having had a myocardial infarction (heart attack), with 90% of her artery blocked. Her heart attack required an Advanced Life Support transfer to Mayo Clinic Hospital. The Wabasha Ambulance Service providers quickly arrived at St. Elizabeth’s to help get her to where she needed to be, with the right care on the way there. Dakkota Moreno (paramedic), and Tiffany Risch (volunteer EMT) provided cardiac monitoring and medication delivered through pumps throughout the ride. Wabasha Ambulance volunteer Bryton Miller (volunteer EMR) drove the ambulance.
“They maintained my cardiac stability perfectly across the 50-mile trip and made the entire transition to Mayo feel seamless. They didn’t just treat my condition; they treated me as a person. Their professionalism, calmness, and kindness helped lower my anxiety during a very frightening time,” recalls Sharon about that day.
Sharon was later told by her doctors that timing and immediate care was critical to her positive outcome. The ambulance saved time and minutes getting her there.
“Seeing and experiencing the dedication of the crew first-hand makes you realize how vital this service is for our community. They are an essential link that ensures that patient at Gundersen St. Elizabeth can access the world-class cardiac care units at Mayo Clinic and in La Crosse. They saved my life and now I am getting top level cardiac rehab care with St. Elizabeth’s three times a week,” said Sharon.
In advance of National EMS Week, the Kennebeck’s have a message for the Wabasha community.
“Wabasha is fortunate to have dedicated ambulance, police, and fire services based right in town. These local teams are always ready to respond to emergencies, from medical crises and fires to general calls for assistance, often arriving within minutes. To ensure this vital protection remains close at hand, it is essential for our community to support these services in every way possible.”
To learn more about joining the Wabasha Ambulance Service, please call Ambulance Director Ryan Marking at 651-565-2633 or email ambdir@wabasha.org.
