A local man is recovering following a fall from the top level of a float in Friday night’s parade. It happened at the intersection of Johnston and Whittington Streets. If it wasnt for the quick thinking of one Acadiana residents, there could have been a very different outcome.
The parade route along Johnston street is usually filled with people screaming for beads and throws. For most of Friday night, that was the case, up until a terrible accident demanded the assistance of emergency personnel.
The Friday night kickoff parade appeared to be off to a great start, until Quinn Dejean fell from the top level of float.
“There was a man on the front of the float. He starts slapping the front of the float saying stop the truck! Stop the truck!””
Christopher Gray and his family were enjoying the parade when the last thing they expected to see during the carnival season, happened only a few feet away from where they were standing.
“We saw a male laying on his back on the concrete. So, I busted through the barricade and took off.””
Christopher Gray is a Health Safety Environmental Manager and has past work experience in emergency medical services. He says Quinn Dejean was unconscious and breathing at the time, but his pulse was fading quickly.
“I lost his radial. I lost his carotid pulse. At that point I started chest compressions started CPR.””
Acadian Ambulance weren’t far behind, paramedics gave Dejean oxygen and transported him to a local hospital where he remains in a critical but stable state.
“He is starting to make a little bit of progress. He’s starting to respond to pain, his eyes are starting to respond to light.””
Lindsey Dejean is Quinn’s niece. She says her uncle appears to be making progress day by day, and has a message for everyone this Mardi Gras season.
“It’s Mardi Gras, it’s like Cajun Christmas. Everybody wants to have fun but, especially if you’re on a float, just have fun but be safe out there because things can happen very quickly and it could happen to anybody.””
“Let this be an eye opener for Lafayette. It could.ve been much worse.””
Gray added that in some cities, float riders are required to wear some type of harness to prevent such accidents…
