Paula Weatherley, a cardiac catheterization laboratory supervisor, was driving to Conway (Ark.) Regional Hospital after being called in at 3 a.m. Saturday to help perform a life-saving procedure when she got a flat tire. Instead of stopping to change the tire, she ran more than half a mile to the hospital, reports WCNC.
Ms. Weatherley was called into Conway Regional to help with a patient who was being airlifted to the hospital after suffering from a heart attack.
On her drive to the hospital, Ms. Weatherley hit a piece of metal, which blew out her tire. Immediately, she jumped out of her car and ran to the hospital. She knew that the time it would take to call for help or change the tire could mean the difference between life and death for the patient.
"[I] decided that I just had to jump out, put my purse and coat on, and run so I could beat the patient here," Ms. Weatherley told WCNC.
She ran more than half a mile, and beat the patient there.
"I sat down, caught my breath, and about two minutes after that the patient rolled through the door from Air Evac and we got started," Ms. Weatherley said, according to the report.
The patient survived and Ms. Weatherley received an award at work for her efforts.