Dying man nearly didn - t get caramel sundae due to logistical nightmare

Dying man nearly didn't get caramel sundae due to logistical nightmare.

By Toby Crockford. A dying Gold Coast man nearly didn't get his beloved caramel sundae due to a logistical nightmare that the paramedics involved have asked the Queensland Ambulance Service to look into. Paramedics Kate Hanafy and Hanna Hoswell made a detour on Ron McCartney's "final journey" last week to get him a caramel sundae, but upon arrival found their ambulance was too tall and not able to fit through the McDonald's drive-thru. Ron McCartney enjoys a caramel sundae, given to him by ambulance workers.

Photo: Facebook/Queensland Ambulance Service. Thankfully, they were able to park and Ms Hanafy went into the fast-food restaurant herself to collect the ice-cream, after Mr McCartney had very little to eat during the past two days. "He was wrapped, he was getting it all over his face, getting it all over his shirt, he had a big smile on his face and his wife was tearing up because she was so pleased to see him eating," Ms Hanafy said. However, the paramedics have raised the drive-thru height issue with a QAS associate commissioner in the hope it can be fixed. "Crews do this all of the time, they just go above and beyond for people they have just met," Ms Hanafy said. Mr McCartney's change in behaviour was in stark contrast to when paramedics had first met him earlier in the day. Ms Hoswell said Mr McCartney was low on energy and "down in the dumps" when they first saw him.

“His wife, Sharon, mentioned to us that Ron hadn’t been eating for the past few days and that they had been really struggling to get him out of bed and just to do anything," she said. "So, Kate then said: 'Well, if we could get him anything to eat what would he eat do you think?’ "They both smiled at each other and straightaway said a caramel sundae." Queensland paramedics with Ron McCartney’s family. Left to right: Hanna Hoswell, Sharon McCartney, Danielle Smith and Kate Hanafy. Mr McCartrney's daughter, Danielle Smith, said her father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001 and lately his diet had largely consisted of caramel sundaes. "He’ll never say no to a caramel sundae," she said. “They (paramedics) are there to make the patient comfortable, that’s what he wanted and there wasn’t much else they could do for him at that stage." The image of Mr McCartney enjoying his caramel sundae in the back of the ambulance went viral on Tuesday after being posted on the QAS Facebook page. Mrs McCartney later contacted QAS to thank the paramedics for their compassion and support, not just on that final journey but through their earlier call-outs to the couple's home. QAS said the message of thanks left them "humbled and with a tinge of sadness", and highlighted the caring side of paramedic work that was often overlooked. Mrs Smith left a message on the post thanking paramedics for their kindness. "Dad enjoyed this so much and was the last thing he was able to eat by himself," she wrote. "Dad sadly passed away Saturday morning." In November last year, two Queensland paramedics were also recognised for their compassion after taking a dying woman to the beach so she could see the ocean one final time.