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Local first responders recently gathered at Troup Fire Station #10 to celebrate measures taken that saved a woman’s life.

On July 28, Donna Hendrix went into cardiac arrest while being taken to the hospital from Roanoke by her husband, Tony. Tony called 911 along the way and stopped at the fire station, where emergency personnel were able to revive her and get her to the hospital, where she has made a full recovery.

Donna reunited with the first responders who saved her life on Wednesday at the fire station where she nearly died.

When Tony called 911, dispatchers recognized the situation’s urgency and got him to take Donna to the nearby Fire Station #10, where firefighters were waiting to help.

Donna wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse when she arrived at the station, meaning she was clinically dead when she arrived, but firefighters shocked her a few times with an AED and began chest compressions.

I’ve never in my career, and I’ve been doing this a long time, shocked anybody that many times and they survived, ever. So that’s a first for me,” said Firefighter/EMT Rusty Creel.

AMR Paramedics arrived shortly afterward, along with Troup County sheriff’s deputies. Paramedics continued what firefighters had been doing, hooking Donna up to a heart monitor and defibrillating her. Soon afterward, Donna coughed and attempted to take a breath, and her pulse returned.

Donna was still unresponsive, but she was breathing on her own, so she was rushed to the hospital, where doctors were able to revive her, and she made a full recovery.

“It’s just a miracle, and you can’t say anything else,” Tony said. 

“The stars just lined up that day. Everybody was where they needed to be that day,” said Troup County Fire Chief Michael Strickland.

“Public safety in Troup County works very well, seamlessly here. We have a fire department, law enforcement, AMR, and 911.  We work as a big team to ensure we deliver good services,” Strickland said. “The hospital made a lot of fantastic efforts, too, and we don’t want to minimize what they did. They’re certainly a part of this effort as well, but we wanted to recognize public safety professionals for their part.”