ALTON - Joe Rister performs what most consider heroic acts nearly every day he is on the job in his role as Ameren Illinois lineman. On January 13, 2022, Joe was driving down College Avenue in Alton finishing his day when a woman pulled abruptly into Rock Spring Park. Joe has been a lineman for Ameren Illinois for 35 years and is well-known around the Alton-Godfrey area.
Joe immediately saw the woman had a problem and stopped and tried to help her and a passenger in her car.
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“I saw her jump out of the driver’s side door of her car and as soon as she opened the passenger door, I saw someone hunched over on the dash,” she said. “I asked her if I could help and she said, ‘please, my daughter is having an epileptic seizure.’”
“The woman’s name was Lara Walker and her daughter’s name was Taylor. The woman couldn’t find Taylor’s epileptic medicine as it had dropped in between the seats. I found it quickly and handed it to the mother to administer to her daughter. Taylor was in bad shape but got better after she was handed the medicine. She became responsive after she was given the medicine in quick fashion.”
Joe asked several times if he could call for an ambulance for her daughter, but the mom said she could get Taylor to Saint Anthony's Health Center's E.R. Lara dashed inside and asked some other nurses and doctors to help her and her daughter. Joe helped buckle the girl’s seat belt, then followed her to the hospital.
Joe was glad to see the girl improve and he left the family at the E.R. feeling he did his good deed of the day. The mother reached out to Ameren Illinois who recognized Joe and a segment was done on KMOV-TV in St. Louis.
“Ameren Illinois recognized me and KMOV did the TV segment,” he said last week. “It all happened in five minutes, but it was five intense minutes. I am thankful Taylor is OK."
Taylor has Sotos Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, and a form of epilepsy, Lennox Gastuat Syndrome, that causes hard-to-control seizures. The one on Jan. 13 seizure was more severe than normal.
When Joe was recognized the family had him a beautiful card and he said their inscriptions meant more to him than anything else.
“I am just glad I was there and able to help Taylor,” he said.
Lara said thank you for helping to recognize Joe - "his kindness is something we will forever be grateful for!"
Joe concluded and said something profound about his own mom and dad - Bill and Dorothy Rister - "Helping someone in need is how I was raised by my parents and that is how I raise my kids. This will make my 94-year-old dad feel good!"
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