THOMASVILLE — Charismatic. Patient. Enthusiastic. Genuine.

Those are words used by Thomas County Emergency Medical Services Shift A personnel to describe their co-worker, Jeffrey Todd Harris, 37, a paramedic who died suddenly Monday from undetermined medical causes.

Harris, an employee at county EMS since 1997, had an accident while on duty and went home to recuperate. He went to sleep and never woke up.

“He was exactly what a paramedic should be,” Lonnie Bass, a co-worker, said Wednesday. “He was awesome at his job. He was an awesome professional and person.”

Harris’ EMS family said he believed in giving the gift of life (he was an organ donor and frequently gave blood). His love of life, they said, showed in his work.

Harris’ co-workers said he would sit in the bay at 7:45 a.m. before shift changes waiting to greet everyone. His trademark greeting of choice was a big grin and the expression, “Hey, dude.”

He was also the type of guy who would open his home to others, let his co-workers borrow uniforms and was rarely angry.

“We all loved Jeff,” Gabe Knight said.

Mike Morris said that whenever Harris responded to a call or was a backup, he knew the situation was in good hands. But, Harris was also human, Morris said.

“We worked a wreck with some kids and one of them didn’t make it,” Morris recalled. “We both sat in the bay and cried. He cared about what he did. He always wanted the outcome to be positive and he didn’t like it any more than the rest of us when it wasn’t.”

Harris was also the go-to guy for any question.

“I never heard someone ask him a question he didn’t have the answer to,” Chuck Curles said. “If he didn’t have the full answer, he would go dig it up and find out.”

But, Curles said Harris was always humble.

“He did his job to perfection but never stood around with his chest bowed out like he was better than others,” he said.

Harris was also described as someone who challenged others around him to succeed or do their best. Josh Pollock said he was “a good role model and mentor.”

There are many things Harris’ EMS family will remember about him.

Amber Evans, Harris’ friend and Bass’ fiancee, is a registered nurse who works in the emergency room at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital.

“His voice was the only voice every nurse could recognize,” she said. “He had this really deep, sexy voice. It sounded like a radio DJ voice.”

Harris could appreciate the fun things in life, his co-workers said, and had several loves, including his family and fiancee, Tiffanie Owens.

He was “the fan” for the University of Florida Gators (members of Harris’ shift family are wearing blue and orange ribbons in his memory) and loved to fish.

“We take a trip to Crystal River every year and swim with the manatees,” Chuck Lester said. “We had one come to our boat and stayed there. It followed us around for hours and, each time Jeff tried to get out of the water, it would swim around and try to block him from leaving. We thought it was a male, so we named it ‘Bob,’ but it turned out to be a female. Even the animals loved him.”

There was one living thing Harris did not like.

“He wasn’t afraid of anything,” Capt. Derek Ogletree said. “But, he did not like snakes.”

Harris also had a weakness for ice, specifically ice that came from the hospital.

“He had a huge Gators cup and he would always get it filled up before he left the hospital,” Kyle Cooper said. “If you ever knocked it out of his hands or some ice out of the cup, he gave you this look, like you’d stolen his pet.”

And, Harris was given the nickname “Poker” due to his affinity for cards.

Then, there’s his famous “jeffé burgers.”

“The first time I tried one he said he was going to cook burgers, and I said, ‘Fine,’” Bass said. “I asked him how many he could normally eat, and he said, ‘Two.’ When he put the plate in front of me, there was half a cow on the plate! They were inches thick, but he never burned one. They were always juicy and done.”

Harris’ EMS family said the best way to end their recollections of him is the same way he always ended every text message, e-mail or conversation.

“Go Gators.”