ST. LOUIS –  Becoming a first responder was a top priority for Sch’Erica Wilson. That’s because her mom, Scherise Bishop, is always at the top of her mind.

“I started my journey at Northeast Fire doing the EMS academy,” Wilson, an EMT at Northeast Ambulance & Fire Protection District, said.  “Once I did that, I worked at Northeast for two years, during that, I did all my clinicals at Northeast, I was mentored by people that worked with my mom when she was here. Once I passed my paramedic test, I am now a full-time paramedic at Northeast.”

When Wilson was a little girl, her mother, Sherise Bishop, was an EMT with Northeast Ambulance & Fire Protection District.

But when she was just nine years old, her mother collapsed while performing CPR on a cardiac arrest patient. Bishop died days later.

“My mom passed in the line of duty death,” Wilson said. “She passed away March 11, 2011…my mom was three days away from taking her paramedic test, so it’s a big deal for me to pass that test.”

Thanks to efforts from BackStoppers, Sch’Erica was able to grow up, navigating life without her mother by her side, while also deciding as an adult to carry on her mom’s community service.

“She grew up around here,” Quinten Randolph, fire chief at Northeast Ambulance & Fire Protection District, added.  “When her mother was here, Sherise would bring Sch’Erica up to the firehouse. So, she’s part of this family, and to see her blossom the way she has is not only an outstanding accomplishment for her, but for the fire district itself.”

Sch’Erica will officially be added to the Northeast family at the next Northeast board of directors meeting Tuesday.

“She would definitely be proud of me,” Wilson said. “I know she’s definitely smiling down every day I jump in that truck. Her famous line used to be, ‘I’ll see you later, Pooh; I have to go save a life.’  So, every day I take a lot of pride in that uniform.”