Trucker Shot in Nye County Reunites With Life Saving Medics

Carmen Losito, a 52 year old longtime trucker from Henderson, met the Mercy Air 21 crew inside the UMC Trauma Center on Wednesday, nine months after he was struck by a bullet while delivering freight to Las Vegas. On a chilly March night, Losito said an angry driver passed his truck and he heard a loud bang. He initially thought a rock had been thrown at his vehicle. It was only about 10 minutes later when he felt a warm sensation near his left armpit that he realized he had been shot in the chest.

Losito called 911, remained calm, and told first responders he would meet them in Pahrump about 30 minutes away. Mercy Air 21 loaded him into the helicopter in Pahrump and treated his wound thousands of feet in the sky during a 20 minute flight to UMC Trauma Center in Las Vegas. The rapid air medical response and treatment en route were decisive in getting him to definitive care.

Nine months after the incident Losito called the reunion with the crew that saved him "one of the best days" of his life and praised the medics during the hospital visit. "They are some of the kindest, greatest people that you would ever meet," he said, welling up with emotion. "If you’re gonna have any care whatsoever, these are the people you want to take care of you."

Jeff Yost and Benjamin Ritchie, two members of the Mercy Air 21 crew, said seeing Losito up and moving was a powerful moment for the team. In their line of work, Ritchie said, "we don’t get much closure." The meeting offered both patient and providers a rare opportunity to see the long term outcome of emergency care.

For Nye County residents the case underscores how local first responders and regional air medical services work together to bridge long distances to trauma centers in Las Vegas. The incident also serves as a reminder of risks on rural stretches of highway and the value of calling 911 promptly and coordinating with responders at predetermined meeting points such as Pahrump. The reunion at UMC Trauma Center illustrated both the human impact of emergency medicine and the lifesaving capability that exists for residents who face critical injuries on county roadways.