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Family, friends say final goodbye to paramedic who died on duty

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Family and friends said their final goodbyes to paramedic Mark Hayes.

Hayes died Saturday after suffering from a medical emergency while on duty. He had been with MEDIC since 1997 -- a 26-year span.

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Hayes leaves behind a wife and four children.

A procession to honor him was held in Huntersville on Thursday morning. An ambulance draped in black ribbon left the funeral home and arrived at Huntersville United Methodist Church.

>> MEDIC created a GoFundMe for Hayes’ family. Click here to contribute.

There, MEDIC employees lined up outside to honor and say their final goodbyes to one of their own.

“I knew Mark from back in 2003. I was a brand new EMT working at MEDIC,” said former MEDIC paramedic Greg Shields.

Shields said he’ll never forget the lasting impact Hayes had on his EMS career. He described Hayes as compassionate, saying he was someone who cared about his coworkers and patients.

“He was smart,” Shields said. “He was always in control of the situation, no matter how freaked out I was about things. He always calm, cool, and collected and that the best kind of partner you could work with.”

>> Watch the video a the top of the page for how those who knew Hayes are remembering him.


(WATCH BELOW: Procession held on 1-year mark of CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin’s death)