Lewis County West Virginia deputy honored in Harrison County for saving man's life

by JoAnn Snoderly WV News Staff Writer

Aug 5, 2020

Harrison County resident Jeffrey Nelson, left, goes to shake the hand of Lewis Country Sheriff's Deputy Charles "Charlie" Kirkpatrick, the man he credits with saving his life in June. Staff photo by: JoAnn Snoderly.

The Harrison County sheriff and Harrison County Commission honored Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles “Charlie” Kirkpatrick for a “miraculous act” that saved Harrison County resident Jeffrey Nelson’s life in June.

According to Nelson, he was dining at the Clarksburg Country Club when he went into cardiac arrest. Kirkpatrick “leaped over a table and came to my attention,” along with registered nurse Kayla Lynch, Nelson said..

“After three operations in seven days, I’m here to proclaim that, thank God you were there,” Nelson said to Kirkpatrick.

Reading from a proclamation, Harrison County Commission President Ron Watson said Kirkpatrick performed a “miraculous act to save an individual’s life.”

“Thanks to the quick thinking of Charlie Kirkpatrick and his girlfriend, Kayla Lynch, Jeffrey Nelson is alive today,” Watson read.

From left are: Harrison County Clerk Susan Thomas, registered nurse Kayla Lynch, Becky Nelson, Jeffrey Nelson, Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles “Charlie” Kirkpatrick, Harrison County Commissioner David Hinkle, Harrison County Commissioner President Ron Watson and Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny. Staff photo by JoAnn Snoderly.

Harrison Sheriff Robert Matheny said he was “proud and happy” to present Kirkpatrick with a sheriff’s citation for “quick lifesaving actions during a serious medical incident involving a Harrison County resident at the Clarksburg Country Club.”

“Your actions just show what law enforcement is all about. We’re in a tough time here with a lot of people coming against our profession, and you serve our profession well and serve our people well,” Matheny said.

Kirkpatrick said he was only thinking of trying to help.

“I just hope that if I was in the same situation that Mr. Nelson was, that anyone else would have jumped up and tried to do the same thing for me,” Kirkpatrick said. “I recognized what the situation was, and I was only trying to do something to help.”