Jesslynn’s Journey: The Bond with Her EMS Heroes and the Call for Car Seat Safety

For most of us, EMS crews are the flashing lights and sirens rushing by. But for 10-year-old Jesslynn, those first responders have become something far more meaningful, family.

Seven years ago, Jesslynn was just 2 years old when a devastating car accident left her fighting for her life. Colleen Long and Emily Selken with CCH Emergency Medical Services were among the first on scene. Their fast action and expert care helped stabilize Jesslynn and gave her a fighting chance. But what makes this story extraordinary is everything that has happened since.

Jesslynn’s mom, Ashley, remembers little about the chaos of the ER that night. “I was told that Jesslynn had been in a car wreck, but I thought it was minor, just bumps and bruises. When I got to the hospital, I quickly realized that wasn’t the case,” she recalled. “I don’t remember much from being in the ER, but I remember a tall, blonde EMT, Emily, being by my side. That’s actually how I found out who Jessy’s EMTs were. I kept asking about the tall, blonde EMT.”

Wanting to thank the people that helped her daughter, and after reaching out to every agency she could: police, fire, highway patrol, the hospital, Ashley officially met both Emily and Colleen at the community benefit dinner for Jesslynn. That meeting turned into a bond that changed their lives.

“There are three people I hold very, very highly for Jesslynn still being here: Colleen, Emily, and Dr. Rinker,” Ashley said. “From the start, Emily and Colleen never treated Jessy differently. They treat her like any other kid. And that makes my mom-heart so happy. My daughter is non-mobile and non-verbal, but they don’t treat her like she’s broken. Emily and Colleen, those are her people.”

Jesslynn, despite lasting injuries from the crash, is a strong-willed, sassy girl whose determination has been a driving force in her recovery. Through the years, her bond with Emily and Colleen has only grown stronger, Colleen has become a dear friend to both Jesslynn and Ashley, and Emily is now Jesslynn’s godmother.

“Watching Emily and Jessy together, you would think Emily has known her forever,” Ashley shared. “Jessy was just shy of three when the wreck happened, and now she’s 10. In your mom-heart, you just know when someone is meant to be part of your family. Emily has become Jessy’s godmother, and I know if anything ever happened to me and my husband, she would be more than taken care of and probably spoiled rotten,” she laughed.

Jesslynn’s story is one of strength, persistence, and love. For Emily and Colleen, it’s a reminder that EMS work doesn’t end when the sirens fade. Sometimes, it’s the beginning of a lifelong connection.

“They were there for us on the worst day of our lives,” Ashley said. “The care and love they have in their hearts to do what they do is incredible. They are literal superheroes.”

But Jesslynn’s family also wants their story to carry an important lesson: the importance of proper car seat use. On the day of the crash, Jesslynn, as an 18 month (about 1 and a half) old, had been placed in a booster seat instead of the car seat recommended for her age and size. That difference likely contributed to the severity of her injuries.

“Car seats are age- and size-based for a reason,” her mom said. “Please, make sure your child is in the proper restraint system. Anything can happen. We never thought we’d be going through what we have these last seven years.”

That’s why CCH EMS partners with Safe Kids Campbell County to provide free car seat checks by appointment.

Schedule your free car seat check today and help keep your child as safe as possible on the road. Visit https://www.cchwyo.org/resources/safekids/ to make your appointment.