UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Union County leaders recognized a code enforcer for his quick action and intuition, which saved a stranger’s life in 2022.
Jeremy Cleaver, a Union County building inspector in the building code enforcement department, is credited with saving a man’s life this past summer.
Cleaver was out on inspections when he noticed an older man struggling in his front yard.
What You Need To Know
- Jeremy Cleaver, a Union County building inspector, was credited with going "above and beyond’" to help a resident
- Cleaver noticed the man struggling on a hot summer day, turned around to help and dialed 911
- Cleaver will now compete in the county’s annual "Caught in the Act" award contest
“I was on my way to my next inspection when I see — out of the corner of my eye on the right side, I see a gentleman kinda stumbling in his driveway,” Cleaver recalled.
The building inspector, who previously worked in law enforcement, said something about the way the man was moving concerned him, so he decided to turn around. When he got back to the property, the older man was on the ground.
“He had a large knot on his head and was bleeding from his head where he had fallen on the concrete driveway. But, we were able to get him inside the house and get him under a fan, where I called 911,” Cleaver said.
The man had been gardening on the hot summer day and was trying to make it back inside when he fell.
For his actions, Cleaver was awarded the county’s “Caught in the Act Award” for going above and beyond his job description to provide aid.
“It’s a bit much for doing the right thing. But we’re all here for one another, and if you can’t count on your neighbor for anything then I don’t know who you can count on these days,” Cleaver said when asked about the recognition from his colleagues.
Cleaver spends hours on the road each week, criss-crossing the county to do inspections and often driving anywhere from 400 to 500 miles.
He said he has seen folks struggling with flat tires, trash cans and other items and has stopped to help before the August incident.
“Let’s take 30 seconds out of our day to stop at a gas station, or wherever we’re at, just to shake somebody’s hand, say ‘hey, how ya doing?’ Because, you never know how the simplest thing can change someone’s day, or what kind of day they’re having,” Cleaver added.
Cleaver said this was his first time stopping for a medical emergency.
As part of the award, Cleaver received a $250 bonus and will be nominated for the county’s annual "Caught in the Act" award contest.