Why This Story Now?
- Orlando Suazo
- Jul 16
- 1 min read
In 1968, after Dr. King was assassinated, cities across America erupted. In Pittsburgh, while the city prepared for unrest, a group of Black paramedics known as Freedom House were asked to do something revolutionary: save lives in the middle of chaos.
Trained by Dr. Peter Safar — the man who invented CPR — these men were the first paramedics in the country. And yet they were ignored by the media, distrusted by police, and eventually shut down by the city that needed them most.
They were better trained than most of their white counterparts. They responded faster. They treated everyone. And still, their program was dismantled.
We’re making The First Save because this story was never given its moment.
And because even today — in 2025 — we’re still debating whose lives get prioritized. Who gets care? Who gets dignity?
We can’t change the past. But we can spotlight it. We can honor it. And we can use it to push conversations forward.
That’s why this story is now.
