"There are hopes and dreams in there," Palm Springs, CA, Deputy Fire Chief Told FBI at Fertility Clinic Bombing
"If we don't try, the bad guy wins."
That's what Palm Springs Deputy Fire Chief Greg Lyle told an FBI agent outside a fertility clinic damaged by a bomb over the weekend.
Lyle didn't want to take the word of bomb squad technicians, KABC reported. He wanted to see for himself.
Although the building had suffered structural damage by the bomb, Lyle was persistent. He wanted to get inside to save the embryos.
Lyle and FBI agent Chris Meltzer quickly realized there was more involved to carrying the protective chambers out of the building. Time was critical because the backup generator had failed.
Restoring power was a priority.
The clinic doctor also informed them he needed the medical records as well as the treatment window for embryo transfers and retrievals is tight.
The two went back in, made sure the chambers holding the precious items had electricity and retrieved the documents. With their life-saving mission complete, the clinic was able to continue treatment on Monday.
Lyle didn't realize he had unknowingly helped one of his own.
"Thank you for saving my embryos," a firefighter texted him, adding that his wife was one of the patients with an appointment early in the week.
The deputy chief said it was a team effort. "It made me proud to be part of that. It was definitely a group effort, and [I was] super privileged to be leading such a great group of guys. When I heard about that, it was touching."
