ST.AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Bella and Sadie, two loyal and adorable Labradors helped savetheir owner’s life after she suffered a stroke.
Maureen Hatcher collapsed in her St.Augustine home Dec. 3. A clot cut off the blood flow to the right side of herbrain, which meant the clock was ticking to prevent permanent brain damage.
“Iremember Sadie coming in,” Hatcher said. “I said mommy needs help and then theywere gone.”
Almostas if they knew they had to act quickly, Bella and Sadie ran off.
TheRing camera on the front door caught the moment the loyal pets dashed acrossthe street to alert a neighbor.
Momentslater the neighbor arrived at the house, found Hatcher and called 911.
Insteadof taking Hatcher to the nearest ER, paramedics rushed Hatcher to thecomprehensive stroke center at Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville.
Dr.Nima Aghaebrahim says it’s a decision that likely prevented permanent braindamage.
“Whena stroke happens, time is everything,” Aghaebrahim said.
Untilrecently it was believed patients that had gone untreated for as long asHatcher were out of time, but doctors successfully removed the clot through anew procedure, using dye to find the clot, cutting into hatcher’s femoralartery in her leg and maneuvering a stent retriever to remove the clot in herneck.
It’sa procedure that up until a few years ago was unheard of.
“It’sone of the highlight of our career that we’re able to help people such as Mrs.Hatcher,” Aghaebrahim said.
Hatchersaid she is not sure how the dogs got out, telling First Coast News her dooralways locks automatically.
Shebelieves the door must have been slightly ajar the day she suffered the stroke.
“Byrights, I shouldn’t be in the shape that I’m in,” Hatcher said with Bella andSadie sitting at her feet. “I am blessed….very blessed.”