“one phot by Aan aimztpungton, representing the Ancient Order of Hibernians at this year's St. Patick’s Day parade. I think many people have ineencoe lets but simply panic’ saps the a2 fone West resident, a walking advertisement for CPR training.Ifyou’re in trouble and Matt Harrington happens to be there, you're in luck By Janice Melton Ruggiero ‘Speci to the Tibune ‘ost people go through a lifetime without having an opportunity to help a stranger in trouble. Matt Harrington isahome inspec- tor, nota police officer or firefighter orany kind of emergency worker, Buthe has re- peatedly found himself in the right place at the right time. Mostrecently Harrington gave his eft kidney to 34-year-old Rosalyn Mcintosh, a woman he hadnever met, at Northwestern Memorial Hos- | pital in February. Harrington learned of Mcin- ‘osh’s life-threatening filness through her ‘mother, real estate agent Jeannette Mcintosh, a business associate of his, Rosalyn had suffered from rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, deterioration of both kidneys, since 2008. She ‘waited and prayed for a donor’ ‘Matt came out of theclear blue ...andoffered ‘to help,” recalled Jeannette Meintosh. “Iconld not believe it, until he later came back and told ‘me that he had been to the transplant area for testing.” According to Jeannette, attempts to find a healthy kidney within the family had been un- successful The family was elated to learn that Harrington’s kidney was a match. “have never been afraid to try to save some- one's life. I think many people have intentions tohelp vietims but simply panic,” sald Harring- tom, 22 . The McIntosh fimily was not the first to be srateful for his compassionate nature. Tn October 1999, Harrington came upon 24 year-old Patrick Mort lying on the ground of the rear and was safe.” ‘n1988, whiloriding the “L” in downtown Chi- cago, he saw that a woman was having a heart attack in the car in front ofhim. “She was hold- {ng her chest and I could see that she was turn: ing’ blue.” Harrington jumped off at the next ‘top just to jump back into her train ear and ad- minister CPR. Back in 1998, while vacationing with a friend in Colorado, he gave CPR to a S-year-old at aho- tel swimming pool in Steamboat Springs after noticing that she was drowning. ‘How does this man know what todoandwhen. todo it? His father was an Xray technician and his aunt was a trauma nurse, but Harrington cred- its his Irish-German mother, Bernice, as his greatest influence. For 30 years, she worked 16- ‘hour shifts as a nurse at Franklin Boulevard Community Hospital on the West Side (now Sa- cred Heart Hospital). "She was a tough ‘broad,’ an Irish term of en: ‘dearment she enjoyed,” said Harrington: Her dramatie stories of resuscitations at the hospital made a big impact on him. At 16, he signed the back of his first driver's license to he ‘an organ donor. He was trained in CPR through hisjob asa trader at the Chicago Mercantile Bx- change in 1999, Harrington encouraged his teen- age daughter, Crystal, tolearn CPR, as she did asa lifeguard in Oak Park, 900 block of West Newport Avenue. He had ap- parently fallen several stories from his apart- ment porch andwasbleeding profusely, recalled Harrington. Recognizing that Mort's neck was broken, he carefully tilted the man’s head to clear his air passages, exercised CPR and sus- ‘tained his life until the ambulance arrived. ‘Mort did not survive; but if Harringtonhadn’t helped keep him alive, Mort's family would not have been able to say their goodbyes at the hos- pital and his organs would not have been func- tional to save the lives of others, said Sharon ‘Ward, director of the BR Trauma-and EMS at Advocate Ilinois Masonte Hospital. A grateful family “He isa greathumanitarian,” said Ward, who ‘was on shift when Mort arrived at Minos Ma. ‘sonic. “I recall how grateful Mort's family was that a bystander like Harrington was cour: sgebus enough to help when he was needed.” ‘ust two weeks before Mort's accident, Har. ington, of the 5500 block of North Sheridan Road, heard a fire alarm while he was walking near Melrose and Broadway onhis way Yo Work. He saw that one of six apartments above a res: taurant was on fire. Harrington wanted tomake sure everyone was out of the building. “T pounded on the door of the thirdsloor apartment and yelled for one person to get ott,” ine said. "The person evacuated through the “He is consistent, trustworthy and resource. ful,” former neighbor Raymond V. Hall said of his friend of 9 years. “I admire that Matt helps people because itis something he wants to do.” Taking it statewide While he's also active in volunteer work— he's vice president of the Ancient Order of Hit ‘ermians of Cook County—Harrington hopes to take his humanitarian impulse tothe next level and run for state representative from the 1th District in 2006 He wants to improve the organ transplant functions of hospitals and mandate Health insurance in Mlinois “Health insurance should be mandated just like car insurance is mandated in lino,” said ‘Harrington “He has 2 lot of heart and wants to be of ger- ‘vice fo others,” said Hal. "believe ia him.” Harrington's good deeds haven't gone unrec- ognized. He has a letter from Mayor Richard Daley honoring his quick Ifesaving action on the “L,” and the 23rd Chicago Police District gavehima cortificaleofrecognition for coming to the ald of Patrick Mort. “The accolades arenice, but they don't provide Harrington's motivation I's sta matter fd. ing the right hing. “If you could help save someone's Ife,” he said simply, “why don’t you do i?” ‘a@eribunecom