A heartwarming gesture from a pair of Queensland ambos has gone viral on social media after they treated a dying man to McDonald's.
Gold Coast man Ron was being transported to palliative care yesterday afternoon when he mentioned he'd barely eaten anything in two days, news.com.au reports.
When the paramedics asked him if he was craving something, Ron told them he wanted a McDonald's caramel sundae.
The ambos granted Ron his wish, stopping at a local Maccas to get him his ice cream and snapping a quick photo in the process.
QAS Gold Coast Assistant Commissioner John Hammond told Gold Coast Bulletinthat Ron's story came right when Aussies needed to hear a positive paramedics story.
"Unfortunately people see and hear the doom and gloom side of things and that unfortunately is part of our job, but this is a really important part of the job that we think we are very good at. And it is why people join the job, for that level of compassion and care they show, above and beyond all the clinical stuff we do," Mr Hammond said.
"People call an ambulance when they are at a low point and are quite vulnerable and this sort of stuff highlights that it's the simple things and the level of compassion that make a really big difference to people.
"They (Gold Coast paramedics) are very professional and it's good that they get the opportunity to do this sort of thing, because it eases the load off of them and they can feel a real positive from making a difference to not just the patient, but their family.
"Something so simple and easy to do does make a world of difference."
This isn't the first time a gesture from Queensland's paramedics has gone viral on social media.
In November last year, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedic Graeme Cooper was photographed standing next to a patient lying on a gurney on a Hervey Bay beach.
Hervey Bay officer-in-charge Helen Donaldson said a crew was transporting a patient to the palliative care unit of the local hospital when the woman wished out loud that she could "just be at the beach" instead.
"Above and beyond, the crew took a small diversion to the awesome beach at Hervey Bay to give the patient this opportunity — tears were shed and the patient felt very happy," Ms Donaldson said.
The moment was captured by paramedic Danielle Kellan who told reporters she took the photo because it "was the epitome of Graeme" who has also made stops for nursing home patients so they can "roll the sheets back … feel the sun on their skin" and smell flowers the paramedic picks for them.
"I said to the patient (as she looked out at Fraser Island): 'What are you thinking?'" Ms Kellan said.
"And she said: 'I'm at peace. Everything is right.'"