Glass Doctor Sales Representative’s Quick Action Saves Customer's Life

Aug. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Something was wrong. She may not be a nurse or a doctor, but Auralee Nickels knew something wasn’t right with the customer on the phone.

It started as a normal conversation; the customer saw a newspaper ad. Auralee, an inside sales representative for Glass Doctor of the Black Hills in Rapid City, S.D., made a little small talk with him and began scheduling the windshield replacement. It was a typical call until she asked for his address. The customer didn’t know what street he lived on, but he remembered he’d lived there for 56 years.

“The more I talked to him, the more concerned I got,” Nickels said. “He couldn’t put a sentence together.”

The customer started slurring his words and speaking gibberish. Was the customer crazy or drunk? Or did he just have a speech impediment? Auralee thought it seemed more serious than that. He was frustrated and started swearing at himself for not being able to speak properly.

Then, the line went dead.

Auralee didn’t hesitate as she dialed the number for the sheriff’s department. She had looked up the number while still on the phone with the customer, thinking he might be having a stroke. She knew he needed help fast.

But she only knew the customer’s name, phone number and part of his address. She feared it wasn’t enough.

In desperation, the sheriff’s department reached out to area rescue teams. Luckily, a member of the fire department recognized the description. Paramedics rushed to the customer’s home.

Meanwhile, Auralee held her breath until she heard from the fire department that the paramedics got her customer to the hospital in time to save him.

“It’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said. “Another half hour and he wouldn’t have been with us.”

The next day, Auralee visited the man during her lunch break. She introduced herself and explained how she had made the phone call to save his life.

“I’m not really religious or anything, but something made him call me,” she said. “Fate made him look at our ad.”

Whether it was fate, coincidence or divine intervention, the customer survived, and when he recovers, his new windshield will be waiting—free of charge.

Auralee’s quick action and basic understanding of stroke symptoms saved a man’s life. When someone has a stroke, brain damage is caused by a blocked blood vessel or bleeding in the brain. Typical stroke symptoms include numbness, blurred vision, confusion and difficulty speaking. To learn more about strokes and their symptoms, visit http://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/default.htm.

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In addition to replacement services for home, auto and business, Glass Doctor offers custom glass services, such as tub and shower enclosures, entry door glass and mirrors. To find the location in the U.S. or Canada near you, visit www.glassdoctor.com.