First day jitters – we all get them. It’s only natural to feel nervous on the first day of any new endeavor, whether that be at school or on the job. The butterflies in your stomach might even prevent you from raising your hand or jumping right in as soon as you arrive – that is, unless you’re Hobart Police Officer Richard Mayer.
What happened on Officer Mayer’s first day on the job couldn’t have been predicted, but what matters most is that he was prepared, confidently ready to jump right in to save a 15-month-old girl named Charlotte that had been choking on her food at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Merrillville.
“Just by the way the day was going, I was expecting it to be a very slow day. It was the first day, working from 6 am to 2 pm, and during those times, there just really isn’t a high call volume,” Mayer said.
Charlotte’s mother, Melanie Hasse, ran straight to Mayer, where he was sitting a few tables over having lunch with colleagues Officer Ramos and Officer Zormier. They could all see right away that Charlotte was turning purple.
Without even thinking, the next thing Mayer knew, all three officers were up and Officer Ramos was flipping the child over and onto Mayer’s forearm, when he performed 3-4 black slaps that dislodged the piece of apple from Charlotte’s throat that she was choking on.
Although Charlotte was in good condition when she started crying, a clear indication that she was able to breathe, Mayer held her for a few more moments to be sure she was truly okay.
“We were all still in shock at the moment with how fast all of it had just happened,” Mayer said before giving Charlotte back to Hasse, who was overwhelmed with gratitude that the Hobart police officers were there when it all happened.
Trained in CPR in previous jobs like the Department of Corrections in La Porte and Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Mayer was glad that he was there when Hasse’s mother needed help the most.
Mayer said, “I thought it was going to be more of a just-patrol-the streets kind of day and making sure everything is going good, and it ended up not being that way by going to lunch, and thank God we chose Chick-fil-a.”
Mayer’s uncle, who is currently serving as a Chicago police officer, is the inspiration behind the heroic acts and lifestyle that Mayer has dedicated his life to. Thanks to his uncle’s influence and Mayer’s hard work, Mayer served in the Marine Corps right out of high school. After four years, he transitioned into the Marines Corps Reserve, still holding a dream to do law enforcement even though his other dream of joining the military came true.
“The thing I keep coming back to is service,” said Mayer. “I wanted to do something better to serve my community as opposed to serving in the military. So the idea of law enforcement fell into my lap that way, and I pursued it ever since I got out of the military.”
Mayer’s accomplishments have made a positive impact on others beyond just his life, like Melanie Hasse. What happened at Chick-fil-A did not go unnoticed – especially not by Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor, who said, “What an amazing way to start a career!”
We couldn’t agree more. To find out more about the Hobart Police Department and the services it offers, visit https://www.cityofhobart.org/index.aspx?nid=152.
