Destiny Williams Picture

The first time Destiny Williams performed CPR was on a woman fighting for her life.

A medical call tested everything Williams was learning as an emergency medical technician (EMT) student at Tri-County Technical College (TCTC). It also gave a husband the chance to say goodbye to his wife one last time.

Williams, a mother of four boys, started her morning with prayer and coffee before heading to clinicals as an EMT student with Pickens County Emergency Medical Services (EMS). She was riding along with the crew to gain hands-on experience.

“I'm a Christian, and I try to have a positive mindset every morning because I feel like that determines how my day is going to go,” Williams said.

During the Pickens County EMS crew’s final call of the shift, the crew responded to a woman experiencing a serious medical emergency.

In an evaluation sent to TCTC instructor Les Murrell, Pickens County EMS EMT Christopher Weber, a former TCTC EMT student, wrote that the crew encountered challenging conditions at the home.

Weber wrote:

“Upon arrival, Destiny gloved up, grabbed the monitor and started toward the door as my partner and I followed with the bag. I said to my partner, 'She's got this. Let's let her run the assessment.'”

Williams immediately searched for a pulse and assessed the patient before the paramedics entered the room.

"I don't really become nervous. I just feel confident until I'm not confident anymore," she said. "But I always try to stay confident and positive."

While in the home, Williams said the patient was nonverbal and appeared close to going into cardiac arrest.

“I tried to get her from grunting to some kind of response. It was challenging because I thought she was going to code right then,” Williams said.

Despite the rapidly changing, high-pressure situation, Williams knew she needed to stay focused, remain consistent and rely on her TCTC training.

“I knew that if I didn’t, any minor mistake could result in this patient dying in our care,” she said.

After the crew transported the patient to a local emergency department, Williams began cleaning and restocking the ambulance.

A first responder approached her with a question.

“Have you ever done CPR before?” the first responder asked.

“No,” Williams replied.

“Well, today’s your day,” the first responder said. “She’s coded.”

“I jumped over there and started doing compressions,” Williams said.

For nearly an hour, Williams and emergency department medical staff took turns performing chest compressions while continuing lifesaving efforts.

Finally, there was a moment of hope.

The woman regained a faint pulse.

The recovery was temporary, but it allowed her husband the opportunity to say goodbye before she died.

Weber later wrote to Murrell that the brief return of a pulse was "no doubt a contribution of Destiny."

After the woman died, Williams turned to her faith. 

“I went to the bathroom, and I prayed for her, and I prayed for me,” she said.

Williams said death is the worst-case scenario for healthcare workers.

"Death is never the outcome you want," Williams said. "You prepare for situations like that, but you never know exactly what's going to happen. When it does, you have to process it, decompress and move forward."

Williams credits her TCTC EMT classes with helping prepare her for the call.

“We go over the skills that a basic EMT can perform over and over in class, and then I apply that to the field,” Williams said.

Murrell said he admires her persistence and ability to remain focused on her goals despite the obstacles she has faced.

Williams has faced numerous challenges while in school, including car trouble, moving into a new home, welcoming a new baby and adjusting to life postpartum. She has balanced those challenges with family responsibilities, including her children’s football schedules. Through it all, she has remained focused on her goal of becoming an EMT.

Murrell said the challenges Williams faced outside the classroom have helped her prepare for a career in emergency medical services.

"Her faith is preparing her to move forward," Murrell said. "I'm not saying she isn't going to struggle, but her faith and stability are going to keep her moving forward."

Williams completed her EMT course at TCTC on Oct. 9, 2026, and passed the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians exam two and a half weeks later. She will now complete her state application, which allows her to work as an EMT in South Carolina.

Williams hopes to work for a healthcare provider in the Upstate.

Following the medical call, Weber said in the evaluation, "I think this example with Destiny truly highlights the caliber of providers TCTC is producing. We need more providers like her."

Williams offers this advice to those considering the EMT program at Tri-County Technical College or a career in emergency medical services. 

“Everyday life is tough as it is, but my motto has always been, ‘Can’t never could!’ Study, study, study, find your groove and your pace, and make it fun while still taking it seriously,” Williams said. “Don’t let your circumstances stop you from chasing your dreams. If you have a heart for helping people, take that leap of faith and be who you’re destined to be! It won’t always be easy, but don’t count yourself out before you even try.”