Paramedic Malaysia Wheeles Celebrates 20 Years of the FDNY High School

This year marks the 20th graduating class of the Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety. To celebrate this milestone, JoinFDNY is shining a spotlight on alumni who have continued their journey with the FDNY.

Paramedic Malaysia Wheeles is a proud member of the Class of 2011. She says her time at the high school was a turning point in her life, one that steered her away from a more destructive path and toward the person she is today. Looking back, she recalls her early teen years as rebellious, with no thoughts of a career, let alone becoming an EMT. “When I started at the high school, I didn’t like it. That was me with the tight jeans every day and the crop tops coming to school until they started making me wear a uniform. I was partying. There was a lot of discipline,” said Wheeles. “It was a big adjustment. I had a lot going on in my family and in my personal life.”

She credits the patience and dedication of Assistant Commissioner Michele J. Maglione, Brandon Mahon, who at the time was a part of the Youth Workforce Pipeline & Programs and is now the Director of EMS Recruitment, and others for teaching her responsibility and accountability.

“They taught me about humility because that’s what I really needed. They became my role models and sat me down and made me see that I can do better for myself,” said Wheeles. “I did the Summer Youth Leadership. We worked out, and I got to meet a lot of people and see what they accomplished, and I knew I wanted to do those things as well. And in order to have that change, I needed to graduate high school.”

On graduation day, she was caught off guard when a teacher called her name along with four others. “I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m not graduating,’” she recalled. “I looked at my teacher, trying to understand why I was being called out. Then, they announced that we were the top five graduates in our class. I was very surprised and happy.” Wheeles graduated from the FDNY EMS Academy in 2014. A decade later, she promoted to Paramedic and is now assigned to EMS Station 38. Looking ahead, she remains grateful for the guidance she received and is eager for continued growth within the FDNY.