KNYSNA NEWS - Local ER24 paramedic Waldo de Kock has turned a lifelong love of writing and years of real-life emergency service experience into two published books. Each one is a glimpse into vastly different worlds.

De Kock, who previously served at ER24's George branch and now works in Knysna to be closer to his family, recently self-published 101 Paramedic Stories, a raw and insightful collection based on real cases he attended over the years.

His path in healthcare began in September 1998 when he did job shadowing in an ambulance. "My life took an unexpected turn in 2005, which I mention briefly in the book," he says. "For a while, I only worked part-time as a paramedic."
He joined ER24 in 2016, starting at the Southern Cape branch.

The advent of the author
His journey as a writer began as early as 2003 when, as a newly qualified paramedic, he started keeping a personal journal.

"It was a way of processing trauma and also keeping accurate records," he says. The idea of turning it into a book only came years later when a colleague joked, "You could write a book about everything we deal with!" That offhand comment sparked the idea that would eventually become 101 Paramedic Stories.

The book offers a rare behind-the-scenes look into the world of emergency medical services, the challenges, the heartbreak and the quiet victories. "Most people don't understand what we do," says De Kock. "The hardest thing in this job is seeing children and innocent people suffer. 

But the best part? Being with people when they need comfort most. It's a privilege and honour. This book is for anyone curious about the EMS world and aspiring paramedics."
Though many of the stories were difficult to revisit, he felt it was important to show the reality of the job. "Some are hard to read, but they reflect the truth. I always asked myself if the story shows what our world is really like. And can someone learn from it?"

First book

But 101 Paramedic Stories wasn't De Kock's first published work.
In December 2022, he wrote a fictional story titled Destroyed by an Asteroid, initially just for fun. His family's excitement, especially his children's, who begged for the next chapter every night, pushed him to self-publish it. 

Though it had a slow start as an e-book, it eventually gained traction once he printed hard copies. Self-publishing hasn't been easy, but De Kock has embraced the challenge. "You have to do everything yourself - layout, editing, cover design, marketing - but holding your printed book in your hands makes it all worth it." Both books are available as e-books on Amazon and Kobo, and printed copies are available directly from De Kock.

He's already working on a sequel: 102 Paramedic Stories.

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