Kimberly Williams is a 32-year-old customer service representative for Comcast, who resides in Clinton, Mississippi. Her job involves answering phone calls from customers, helping them with their questions, and ensuring that they are happy with their service. However, she recently took on a task during work that she never would have imagined.
A 65-year-old man named Dan Magennis from Michigan called to ask for help after he noticed he’d lost some channels due to a recent power outage. When she was in the middle of assisting him, she noticed something unusual happening, according to Today .
Magennis, who was previously speaking clearly, began to suddenly slur his words. While he continued talking, the words he was saying were impossible to understand. He was having a stroke. Luckily, he was on the phone with the right customer service employee. When Williams was a little girl, she had witnessed her grandmother having a stroke. Thus, she quickly picked up on the warning signs.
When she heard the phone drop, she kept calling out to Magennis but got no response. She then acted quick to save his life, calling paramedics and explaining the situation.
In the five minutes it took for the paramedics to get to Magennis’ home, Williams continued to try to talk to him. She reassured him that help was on the way. Magennis could hear what she was saying but wasn’t able to respond to her.
EMTs rushed to his home and took him to the nearest hospital where doctors restored his blood flow. Dr. Justin Singer, a neurosurgeon at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, who treated Magennis, says that Magennis is alive today because of Williams.
“Kim is absolutely a hero. You can envision working in a busy call center and knowing that people get interrupted during their phone calls. It would be so easy for her to dismiss it,” Dr. Singer said.
Great job by Kimberly Williams, one our reps located in Mississippi! #iworkforComcast https://t.co/3uC8d7zQ6Y
— ChimereRoss (@Beautifulme82) August 23, 2019
Magennis and Williams have never met, but to him, she is his hero. Without her, it’s unlikely he would have received help in time.
“She doesn’t know me, but what she did, it was phenomenal. Neither of us will ever forget it. She saved (me) … That is amazing,” he said.
Magennis is already back home recovering.
It’s important to recognize the signs of a stroke. They include facial drooping, arm weakness, and slurred speech. Time is of the absolute essence in this situation, because every minute that the brain is without oxygen, brain cells are dying.
