Nearly a year after James Hornady helped save then 4-year-old Ford Hammond (now 5-years-old) from drowning, the East Alabama EMS paramedic saw him again under much different circumstances: standing with his family, healthy and smiling, during a surprise reunion that brought the weight of that emergency call rushing back.
On July 7, 2025, a drowning call with CPR already in progress came from a 911 operator. Hornady and his EMS partner answered the call and arrived at the scene within minutes.
Logan and Sarah Hammond—Ford's parents—along with Ford’s uncle and aunt (Brandon and Hollie Hammond) went into action to help save Ford. Ford's father and uncle, who are both family practice physicians in the area, performed CPR for nearly 15 minutes prior to EMS arrival. Ford had regained consciousness prior to EMS arrival but the situation was still dire as Ford slipped in and out of consciousness.
When Hornady arrived, he began to use suction to remove water from Ford’s airway. "We pulled nearly 500 milliliters of fluid out of him," Hornady recalled, which is nearly 17 ounces. "After that, we got a pulse back, and I started an IV so we were prepared in case something else were to happen."
Once Ford had been stabilized, Hornady and Ford's mother rode together to the hospital for further emergent care and treatment. Once Ford was transferred to the care of the pediatric emergency room physician, Hornady returned to his shift.
Like many emergency calls, the moment ended for Hornady before he knew much about what came next.
A year later, their paths would cross again.
On July 11, 2026, the serve team on which the Hammond family was involved visited East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) to deliver goodie baskets to first responders as part of a Serve Day effort through Church of the Highlands.
While talking with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) staff on July 11, Ford's mother described how her son had been saved and gave a description of the paramedic who helped save him.
A staff member stepped into the EMS building to find Hornady and relayed the description of the call.
“My crew asked if I had worked the call, and I said, ‘Yeah, I think I remember doing that, think that was my call,’ so I stepped outside to say thank you for dropping off the gifts,” Hornady said. “As soon as I saw them, they recognized me and I recognized them. That is something I’ll never forget.”
The reunion was exceptionally emotional for both the Hammond family and Hornady.
"I tried to hold it together until they left, and then after that I sat down by myself and was quite emotional," Hornady recalled after a brief pause.
For many first responders, the story often ends when the patient is handed off for further care. Hornady said that made the reunion especially meaningful, giving him a chance to see what came after the emergency and to meet Ford again.
"I know it might sound corny, but I love just getting out there and being able to help people," Hornady said. "My favorite times on the job are being there with a sick patient, talking to them, learning about them and trying to help them in the process."
About East Alabama Health
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North in Opelika, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 316-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 4,100 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.
