| Montgomery Regional Hospital remembers a true friend and hero |
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| Written by Gene Broadus | |
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Derrick McFarland, 33, was killed Sunday as he tried to help someone in need. That is how his friends and co-workers at Montgomery Regional Hospital describe him�as a person always willing to lend a helping hand.
McFarland came to the aid of a sheriff's deputy who had been attacked by a jail inmate brought to the hospital for medical treatment. The inmate, William Morva, injured the deputy and gained control of the deputy's gun. McFarland was unarmed as he attempted to stop Morva from escaping, and was killed by a gunshot. McFarland worked at Montgomery Regional Hospital for over two years as a security guard. People who knew him best said everyone in the facility liked him very much. "He did his security guard duties with extreme professionalism, but he also helped employees with anything they needed," said Suzanne Barnette, marketing and public relations director for Montgomery Regional Hospital. "He would help with computer problems and anything technical", she said. "He would help patients come into the hospital if they couldn�t quite make it in from their car. He was just a very kind, generous family man. He would show pictures of his kids to everybody. You knew that when you were in the facility that you were safe because Derrick was there. He was an employee, but he was also a friend and part of the hospital family," Barnette added. "It�s a tragic, tragic loss for his family, the community and for the hospital. It�s terrible. And as time goes on, we�re all just really feeling it." Derrick McFarland leaves behind a wife and two children. Donations for the Derrick McFarland Memorial Fund are being accepted at any First National Bank (FNB) location or you can mail your donation to |
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