At The Cigna Group, our mission is to improve the health and vitality of everyone we serve. Day in and day out, our employees work hard to bring that mission to life – both in and out of the workplace.

Empathy and caring are core values for our organization, and our colleagues consistently demonstrate their willingness to help others. In our new “Employees on a mission” series, we will spotlight employees who have gone above and beyond to make a difference for others. In our first edition, we look at two cases in which Accredo by Evernorth colleagues jumped into action to help someone in need – without thinking twice. 

Rushing to the scene of a car accident  

Caring for people is second nature to Beth Perry, an infusion nurse with Accredo, Evernorth’s specialty pharmacy. “If there’s someone that needs help, I am going to do it,” Perry, who joined Accredo eight years ago after working as a nurse in an emergency room setting, said.  In her current role with Accredo, she oftentimes finds herself in patient homes or in clinical settings where she administers infusions for life-saving medications. (Pictured left: Beth with her family.) 

“For some of my patients, they see me more often than they see their own family,” Perry said. “I become part of their health care journey and develop great relationships. I love what I do so much – even if I won the lottery, I wouldn’t want to give it up.”  

On Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, Perry was returning from a patient visit and traffic was moving slowly on I-65 near Scottsburg, Indiana. That’s when she heard a loud boom. She didn’t hear brakes but knew from the sound of crunching metal that a car rear-ended a tractor trailer before spinning down an embankment. She quickly jumped into action, pulling over to the side of the road and calling 911 before running to the car that was now on fire with the driver still inside.  

“I couldn’t open the door but noticed there was no glass in the window. I don’t know if it was shattered or just open. I asked him to wrap his arms around my neck, and I pulled him out through the window,” she said.  

At this point, Perry said, more people had come to help, and another person helped her move the man safely away from the burning car.

When Perry thinks about how her day turned out, she said, “I was meant to be in that spot at that time to help and to use my skills as a nurse to make a difference. We can all make a difference –without expecting anything in return. Do good, make someone’s day. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience to make an impact on a person in a positive way.” (Pictured right: The scene of the car accident.)

This mindset is why Perry is an amazing nurse and colleague, according to her manager Melissa Mayrina.  

“Beth is always going above and beyond for her patients and her teammates,” Mayrina said. “She is a great nurse, and a huge asset to our organization. She is really focused on creating connections and patients love her for that.”  

Staying calm and in control to help a colleague  

What started as a regular day for the second-shift team at the Accredo facility in Memphis, Tennessee, quickly turned to anything but when Carl Fisher, operations supervisor, faced a health scare.  

“There were a few of us in the break room and we were all just laughing and talking like we normally do,” said Sharon 'Denise' Evans, a staff pharmacist. “I noticed that Carl was having a hard time breathing, and had his arms in the air – I asked him, are you choking?”  

Fisher said he was trying not to be embarrassed by it, but his eyes were watery, and he knew he was in deep trouble. That’s when his colleagues acted – fast.  

Evans, who realized she wasn’t tall enough to perform the Heimlich maneuver effectively, asked her colleague Jazzmine Redden, staff pharmacist, to step in. Daphne Flemming, a pharmacy technician, called 911 while Evans went to alert the security team that paramedics were on their way. Lynette Washington, director of pharmacy practice and a friend of Fisher’s since high school, helped to clear the room of colleagues, and make space for the first responders. 

Kevin Bryant, senior security manager at the Memphis facility, was also contacted by his staff at the scene. Although he was home at the time, Bryant said it was obvious based on what he was hearing through the phone that Fisher was having a hard time breathing.  

Through FaceTime, Bryant was able to help guide and assist staff pharmacist Samuale 'Sam' Mequanint, who performed the Heimlich. He was able to dislodge the peppermint that Fisher had been choking on before paramedics arrived.

(Pictured left: Jazzmine Redden, Sam Mequanint, Carl Fisher, Lynette Washington, Denise Evans, Daphne Fleming.)  

Bryant, who is a former Memphis police officer, credits those in the room for saving Fisher’s life. A sentiment that Fisher also holds. “I didn’t have any control of the situation, but I didn’t panic because I was surrounded by people that I trust and that I knew could help,” he said. Fisher wants to use this experience to educate others on how quickly medical emergencies can happen. Fisher said that what was most reassuring is how confident those around him were.  

Mequanint, who is first-aid certified but had never had to perform the Heimlich before, said this experience has taught him a lot about himself. “It’s a privilege that I was educated with these skills, and able to apply that knowledge in a real emergency,” he said. “It gave me an appreciation of what I can do, what I’m willing to do, and how it can change other people’s health outcomes.” 

“I’m just so proud of how everyone responded during the situation,” said Charles Parker, operations senior manager at the facility. He added that he is using this experience to encourage as many people as possible to get first-aid certified.