ST. MARY PARISH — After a crash nearly claimed the life of a Franklin resident, two strangers stepped in to save him, and the city is now honoring their life-saving actions.
Two weeks ago, Raymond Ballet and his sister-in-law, Tayna Grogan, were driving with family when they heard a crash on Bud Street. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered Franklin resident Ali Aaron unconscious in his vehicle.
Grogan, a certified nurse, immediately took charge of the situation. "My sister-in-law is certified, so I was like, ‘Go on, just take him out the car and perform whatever you need to perform on him, and I’ll just follow your lead,’” Ballet explained.
Ballet and Grogan performed CPR on Aaron until he regained consciousness. This life-saving effort is something Aaron’s wife, Monica Aaron, and their daughter will forever be grateful for. "We appreciate you two from the bottom of our hearts, you know, no need to be all humble, really thank you," Monica said.
In recognition of their actions, both Raymond Ballet and Tayna Grogan were honored with a Certificate of Recognition and keys to the city. The ceremony, which was attended by members of the community, law enforcement, and public safety officials, celebrated their quick thinking and bravery. "This is what community is all about: common unity. We have to continue to learn to love one another and accept everyone," Mayor of Franklin Eugene Foulcard remarked during the event.
Although Ali Aaron was unable to participate in the event due to ongoing care at Iberia Medical Center following the crash, Monica Aaron shared that her husband is in good spirits. "His eyes just stay straight up, but he turns his head to listen to his daughter or his son or me, so he’s doing things today that the doctors said he wasn’t gonna do anymore, but we’re seeing it," she said.
Raymond Ballet reflected on the experience, stating, "We would wanna think that every man, every person would have that in their heart to do and we shouldn’t be heroes for saving someone’s life, but we are, and I accept that."
