If you saw the movie Pay It Forward with Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey then you understand. In the 2001 movie, Osment’s character is given a social studies assignment to change the world. His plan had lasting impact in the story line and in real life.
Angie Schechinger, a popular youth gymnastics coach for Blue Valley Recreation, saw the movie, and is thankful she was able to put the main character’s plan in action – she paid a good deed forward instead of paying it back.
Schechinger’s story began on Thursday, Oct. 30. While cleaning out her garage during the day, she realized she was running late for work. Rushing to put things away, she absentmindedly laid her keys on the back bumper of the car. A few moments later, unable to locate her keys, Schechinger grabbed the spare key and drove to work.
It wasn’t until she received a call from a patron of Blue Valley Recreation the next afternoon saying a set of keys had been found did Angie remember where she had left her keys. The keys apparently fell off her bumper while driving to work.
“I honestly had forgotten about the keys,” reflected Schechinger. “I figured I would find them around the house at a later date.”
Anne Peters was driving to the Blue Valley Recreation Activity Center just east of Metcalf on 151st when she saw the sun reflect off of metal. She pulled off the busy street and retrieved a scratched key ring. There was no identification except a Price Chopper rewards card. Peters visited the local Price Chopper, explained the situation and was able to retrieve contact information for the reward card’s owner. Peters promptly called the Schechinger’s number and left a message that a set of keys had been found.
The original good deed had been done. The two ladies met and exchanged the key ring for heartfelt thanks. Schechinger noticed that traffic driving over the keys rendered the main key to her car unusable. Still using the spare key, she drove to the Ford dealership in nearby Olathe to have a new key made. Upon arrival she was told that both the vehicle and the damaged key were needed to make a new set. She had left the damaged key at home. Little did she know fate just intervened.
The week was filled with obligations and Schechinger was not able to return for the new key until Friday, Nov. 6. While the key was being made, she sat in a small waiting room, the room was just big enough for her, a young mechanic and an elderly gentleman speaking to the mechanic. As she looked back down to her reading, the man collapsed on the floor.
With training she received as a member of the Blue Valley Rec gymnastics department, Angie quickly rushed to the man’s side and called for the mechanic to dial 911. Upon finding the victim was not breathing, she checked for a pulse. Unable to find one, she breathed two short breaths into the man and again checked for a pulse. At that moment, the victim became responsive and opened his eyes. Emergency personnel soon crowded the scene to attend to the gentleman. Schechinger retreated from the room quietly, thankful that her training came in handy.
“It felt automatic,” said Schechinger. “I always wondered how I would react and I am glad I remembered all of the training.”
It was the first time in more than four years as an employee Schechinger had to use her emergency training. All of Blue Valley Recreation instructors earn CPR and First Aid certifications when first hired and continue to receive additional training annually. Schechinger had just completed a refresher course in July.
The movie plot just became true life. Schechinger is thankful she had the opportunity to not repay the kind act of Peters, but to pay it forward. So much so that she phoned the patron again to thank her for returning the keys and told the story of being able to perform a good deed for someone else.
“It’s amazing I had to visit the dealership twice, which allowed me to help,” said Schechinger. “If I had remembered everything the first trip, I would have never been in the waiting room that day.”
Some might say it’s just being at the right place in the right time. Schechinger says it just might be life imitating art.