Heroic Nurse, Shot 27 Times, Saved Lives

(CBS)  Jerry Avant Jr. died while protecting others.

Doctors said the 39-year-old male nurse was shot more than two dozen times Sunday while trying to shield others from a gunman at a Carthage, N.C. nursing home.

The suspect, 45-year-old Robert Stewart, seemingly picked his targets at random, moving from room to room inside the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center in Carthage, N.C., shooting 11 people in all, eight fatally.

Seven of the eight killed were patients at the facility, where police say Stewart's ex-wife was employed.

Avant's father, Jerry Avant Sr., told CBS Affiliate WRAL-TV that the doctor told him his son was a hero. "He said he undoubtedly saved a lot
of lives before he went down, because he counted, himself, 27 bullet holes."

Avant was a 10-year veteran of the Coast Guard before he became a male nurse.

Avant's fiancée, Jill DeGarmo, a medical technician who was working at Pinelake's Alzheimer's unit when the shooting began, told CBS' The Early Show that she'd heard Avant over the intercom: "I couldn't make out everything he was trying to say, something about 'Lock the doors.' And one of the girls got a call that there had been a shooter in the building.

"And the first thing we did, we grabbed the patients as quickly as possible and got them in a room that would hold everyone. We put the blinds down and made sure everyone was in there. Turned the lights off, got it quiet."

Shortly after, DeGarmo said she heard doors open up "and we heard a couple of shots go off."

DeGarmo stayed with the patients until word spread that the gunman had been apprehended - and that her fiancée had been shot. "I went to the front to see where he was. He was laying on the floor bleeding. I ran and got some towels and tried to help control his bleeding the best I could until someone got there."

"He told me he felt like he was dying. And I kept telling him he wasn't going to die, everything would be OK.

"And he asked me to pray with him. And he started to pray. And he said a couple more times, he said, 'I'm dying.' I guess … I just didn't think that way. I didn't think that no matter how bad it got … he was not going to die, he was going to be OK. And he was losing consciousness. I just tried to keep him awake the best I could until someone got there. And then once the paramedics got there, they took over."

DeGarmo followed him to the hospital where he was taken into surgery.

"The doctor informed me during surgery - he had come out and spoke with me- [that] his heart had stopped. And they did revive him, but I guess his heart stopped the second time around, and they couldn't revive him. He had lost too much blood."

Avant's sister, Frances Greene, said she wanted the world to remember her brother as "a very compassionate, wonderful person.

"I couldn't have went out and hand-picked a better brother," she told Early Show anchor Julie Chen. "I mean, God blessed me with a wonderful brother for 39 years. And I love him so much. And I'm going to miss him, so much."

Avant's father told WRAL that he takes solace in knowing his son may have saved many more lives.

"Like it said in the Bible, John 15:13, any man that would lay down his life for another man, that's good."

[Dan_Shields]

A very brave man indeed, I don't think I would have the guts this man did. He will be forever remembered.

Now that's a hero.

[msbutler]

I must have read a different article than many commenting here. How did the subject of homosexuality come into play? I work at a hospital with men and women doctors, nurses, clerks, housekeeping, etc. Male or female does NOT make a person gay because they work a certain job in a hospital. How is Mr. Jerry Avant queer since he has a fiance? What series of words or sentence in the entire story mentioned ANYTHING that alluded to Mr. Avant being anything but straight? The fact that Jerry was a 10 year veteran in the military and praying at the closing minutes of his life leads me to throughly believe that he was completely viral towards his female interest and anything BUT an unnatural human being. Jerry Avant will be judged accordingly by Our Creator and I trust his outcome is favorable, mainly since he had the opportunity to pray when he thought his life was ending. May God bless the families involved in this tragic event.

[mickeydudek]

Why is it necessary to say "male" nurse? Hero says it all

[seandgreen]

aziridine wrote: Actually it was a simple question posed in anticipation that many readers would assume he was g*y. I am always fascinated by the role of false assumption and unfounded conclusion on these message boards. The reveal a lot about the public mindset.

If you actually took the time to read my post you would realize that there is no bias whatsoever. The question is no different than if I had asked if he had green eyes. It is you who see nefarious purpose behind a simple question.
___________________________________________________________________________
What you simply don't understand, obviously, is that the question DOES demonstrate bias and stereotyping. Yes, I DID read your post. I'm not a Lemming. You've written it yourself "anticipation" of other readers. Thus, denoting prejudice. Most here could care less about the guy's sexuality. It's just inappropriate, plain and simple. Why don't you get that?

I believe what is so unfortunate, is that your comment has NOTHING to do with the heroic acts of this man, and that your question of "heterosexuality" is terribly inappropriate here.

You can defend yourself all you want, and look like a fool even more for all I care. And next time, think to yourself for one moment -- "is what I'm writing appropriate?" Like I said before, put a filter between your brain and your fingers and you won't get flamed like you have been here.

[Phxfire]

aziridine: ummmm, I think you have the problem, with both ignorance and bias.

This story is so bitter-sweet. A life has been lost to a madman, but in that event he saved the lives of so many. Sounds like he was a pretty terrific person.

[aziridine]

You hit the nail on the head Froggy. People like Raflin LOVE to join the fray where there is no fray to join. I've encountered Raflin before she is a domatic person, unwilling to discuss facts unemotionally. It is doubtful that Raflin actually knows a male nurse, but that doesn't prevent her from expressing an emotional and misguided opinion.

Raflin voted for Obama without understanding what a socialist is. Raflin supports the recognition of g*y marriage without the consent of the majority of voters. Raflin supports a costly and inefficient Afghan War while criticizing a less costly and more effective Iraq war.

I think you get the picture. A grandstander.....precisely!

[aziridine]

yes Froggy, that homophobe, Raflin SHOULD ****!!!

[froggy57]

((Shame on you all for picking a fight where there was no basis. Are you all so hung up on the notion of sexual preference that you consider it to be a taboo subject for discussion?))

**I think that certain people just want to be seen grandstanding as sympathetic to homos.
In effect, they are saying, "Oh gee, look at me.. I love homos so I am noble, and you are a nasty old homophobe."
hoping that all the gays will respond with, 'Oh thank you sooooo much, Bwana, for standing up for us."
Nothing wrong with the suck ups to gays that slapping the **** out of them wouldn't cure.

[froggy57]

((aziridine, i will GLADLY paste your bigoted, homophobic comments that you have previously posted, on different articles it you ask me nicely. You are a rather disgusting person. Posted by raflin1))

**I was sitting there with such a wonderful glow thinking what a great young man this was, then I read your ugly rant. Why do people like you have to smear your ugliness and harsh my mellow? Why can't you just just **** with your homophobe ****?

[aziridine]

aziridine, i will GLADLY paste your bigoted, homophobic comments that you have previously posted, on different articles it you ask me nicely. You are a rather disgusting person. Posted by raflin1
__________________________________________________

I assume you are referring to my position of approving of same-sex marriage but DISAPPROVING of the manner in which it is being pursued.

funny thing is I didn't ask if Mr Avant was g*y. I asked f he was straight.