FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A 68-year-old veteran who had a near-death experience on Jan. 6 was reunited Tuesday with the Fairfax County first responders who saved his life.
John Leech, a retired colonel for the Air Force, was cleaning a World War II Colt 45 on Jan. 6 when the weapon was accidentally discharged. A bullet penetrated Leech's left hand, entered his left thigh and burst an artery.
He was quickly losing large amounts of blood. His wife, Elaine Leech, along with Fairfax County police officers Scott Bates and Houston Lamper, used Leech's belt as a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
“I got one glove on and I couldn’t believe what we were looking at,” Bates said in an interview with WUSA9.
Leech was taken to the hospital and miraculously survived the near-death experience. He lost two liters of blood.
On Tuesday, he had a chance to thank Bates, Lamper and the many other first responders at the Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters.
"I don’t have the words to say thank you. It’s not enough," Leech said.
Leech told WUSA9 he could not believe he went through this experience, especially as a survivor of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon.
“I was 75 feet from the impact zone," Leech said. "My friends and I just came out of a meeting. I went to my office. They went to theirs. They were killed. It took years to get over that, survivor’s guilt. Then this happened.”
Bates, Lamper and Elaine Leech were honored with awards because of their life-saving actions.
“To see him up walking again and talking to all of us, it goes to show that teamwork does come together when times matter and that’s the result right back there,” Lamper said.
Leech remains eternally grateful for their efforts.
“I feel like I’m in the company of real heroes. I love these guys. Love them for what they did,” he said.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department will host a “Stop the Bleed, Save a Life” event on March 23 at Chantilly High School.
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