Kevin Fialkowski: Compassionate Servant

Fialkowski spent more than 300 volunteer hours in emergency room

Kevin Fialkowski is here to serve, whether it is at his home parish St. Albert in Heber Springs or saving lives … at least one day.

“In the future I just want to be able to take technology and medicine and (combine it) for the benefit of everyone,” said the 19-year-old sophomore studying biomedical engineering and pre-medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Certified in several technical areas, he has operated the St. Albert’s sound system during Mass.

“I’ll be in the rear of the church behind the soundboard, monitoring all the sounds,” Fialkowski said. “The big thing though is to be prepared when something goes wrong.”

This summer he volunteered more than 300 hours in the emergency room at Baptist Health Medical Center-Heber Springs. He did everything from bringing patients water and blankets, delivering specimens to the laboratory and shadowing doctors.

“Seeing how with medicine and everyone’s teamwork they were able to revive a (critical) patient, that was definitely an ‘aha moment,’ just amazing,” he said.

In all his volunteer work, his Catholic faith guides him.

“Being compassionate and empathetic, I think a large part of that came about because of my faith,” Fialkowski said. “We’re always taught how important it is to love your neighbor, just help those around you in any way you can … I think faith definitely keeps me going in this pursuit.”

Which saint would you like to meet and why?

“St. Joseph; he’s such a fatherly figure in the Church and also because that relates directly to my family. I had a grandfather on my dad’s side who passed away before I was born whose name was Joseph and St. Joseph was my confirmation name.”

 

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