Rachel Schoonover is a sixth grade teacher from Elmira, New York who was washing dishes at her home recently when a wine glass suddenly shattered and cut an artery in her wrist.

“Instantly, blood was everywhere, spraying all corners of my kitchen,” Rachel recalled in a Facebook post. “I wrapped it up in a towel, called 911, called my mom, and continued to bleed everywhere.”

First responders with the Elmira Fire Department rushed to Rachel’s home, and as they tied a tourniquet around her arm to stop the bleeding, they also helped get her son Declan into his pajamas and keep the boy calm. Since Rachel’s husband was at work and her mother had not gotten to her house yet when the ambulance arrived, a few firefighters volunteered to stay behind and watch Declan while she went to the hospital.

Rachel ended up getting some stitches and a tetanus shot before she was discharged later that night. When she got home, the young mother was stunned by what she saw.

“When we got back to my house, I was dreading the bloody mess that was waiting for me in every room,” Rachel said. “Surprisingly, though, the mess was nearly nonexistent. These men wiped down my fridge, coffee maker, speakers, cupboards, bathtub, floors, and even individual K-cups that had been hit. They put the dirty towels in my bathtub, threw away the glass, and cleaned up the blood in my sink.”

And the firefighters did not stop there, as they also left a touching note for Rachel!

“Hope you feel better and have a happy holiday with your boy,” the note read. “We cleaned up some shortly after you left. Hope you don’t mind. We didn’t know what to do with the rug though. Have a glass of wine for us and feel better.”

Rachel posted the photo to social media along with a thank you to the firefighters, and it quickly went viral.

“While everyone last night went above and beyond to help me, I am especially grateful for these guys,” she concluded. “Thank you so much, West Elmira Fire Department!”

These firefighters are truly exemplary at their job and we applaud them for showing such compassion and kindness.