SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, GERMANY -- SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Airmen were enjoying their meals at Eifel Lanes Bowling Center on Dec. 15, 2025, when their peaceful day suddenly turned. A heart-stopping crashing sound interrupted their conversations, people enjoying their lunches whipped their heads around as a hush fell on the room, the cashier behind the counter at Papa Joe’s restaurant stood frozen in shock.
“I initially wanted to go to BUN-D in the [Base Exchange] for lunch,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt Alexander Giddings, test cell craftsman assigned to the 52nd Maintenance Squadron. “I didn’t even want to go to the bowling alley.
“After we ordered our food, we heard a crash.” he said. “Not knowing what was going on, and after seeing other people perk up, we discovered that one of the employees at Papa Joe’s restaurant was having a medical emergency.”
Staff Sgt. Jawuan Cook, 52nd MXS aerospace propulsion systems craftsman, was also on the scene. “The cashier was staring down at the floor, and when he looked back up, he looked shell-shocked. That’s when I knew something was wrong,” he said.
The Airmen rushed behind the counter to assist the man as the other employee called emergency services. Giddings recalled, “We put him on his side to make sure he didn't choke. He had hit his head pretty hard when he fell, and I didn’t want him to get hurt further.”
Both noncommissioned officers agreed on one thing: they acted instinctively. Cook added, “We didn’t even think about it. I just wanted him to be alright and make sure we didn’t potentially lose a life that day.”
Against the odds, not only do Cook and Giddings both have mothers in medical career fields, but both have family members with a history of seizures. They had both expressed that they believed these experiences helped them handle the situation mentally, and act without thought.
Additionally, both NCOs gave credit to their military training, especially their tactical combat casualty care training. “I wasn’t scared,” Giddings recalled, “He was around potentially dangerous items, like the hot grill, the cooking utensils, and he had already been injured. The idea of my training crept into the back of my head, and I remember making sure the scene was safe, that nothing else could hurt any of us.”
Cook chimed in, “The TCCC training kind of makes you step back for a second and think about what's going on, instead of just rushing into what could be dangerous.”
Even after he came to, as emergency services rushed to the scene, the Airmen stayed with the man, keeping him calm and from getting up to his feet.
The wait wasn’t long, and in under five minutes emergency services had arrived. Giddings and the other Airmen at the scene assisted the man, nearly carrying him, out to the ambulance where they then answered questions about the incident.
“I was very proud of how everyone handled the situation, doing their best to add their support and make sure he was okay,” Cook said, “The last thing I would ever want is if I’m ever having a medical emergency and everyone is just sitting there watching. That’s the opposite of what we did and I’m very proud of that.”
Thanks to the speedy actions of a handful of maintainers, and the skills of swift emergency personnel, the man made a full recovery and is even back to work at Papa Joe’s restaurant, providing the base with warm breakfasts, sizzling lunches, refreshing fountain drinks and a friendly presence.