Late Paul Herbst described as a devoted leader in emergency medical services

The late director of the private KwaZulu-Natal paramedic service Medi Response Paul Herbst has been described as a dedicated leader in emergency medical services.

Herbst is being buried in Durban on Tuesday. He died last week, two days after returning from a Türkiye rescue operation with Gift of the Givers.

The deceased has been celebrated for his selflessness and contribution to emergency medical services.

The humanitarian organisation’s head of search and rescue Ahmed Bham was among the speakers at the funeral. He says he will always remember Herbst for putting the lives of others before his own.

He also took part in rescue missions including the 2019 cyclone in Mozambique. His widow Linda Herbst says her husband’s legacy will always be kept alive.

“Paul was a hero to everyone but to me, he was my guy, my person, the only person I could turn to when I needed help. I shared him with the world and I would have never competed with his passion and purpose. I was there when he got back to his safe place, I was his safe space.”