Hogansville resident Debbie Staley said she was just doing what she knew, but her actions may have saved a man’s life. Staley was behind 54-year old Eddie Robertson at Dollar General in Hogansville on July 1 when she noticed he was having symptoms of a heart attack and acted quickly.

“I could tell something was wrong, but I didn’t recognize him and I didn’t say anything to begin with, and then he kind of laid over the counter,” Staley said. “I was like ‘are you okay’ and he didn’t answer me, and he finally turned his head and I saw who he was. I said we need to get this man a chair. We finally got him a chair and sat him down.”

Robertson was feeling clammy but kept telling Staley he had indigestion and drove from Grantville to get Rolaids. After store clerks got him Rolaids, Staley said she intervened and got Beyer aspirin in case he was having a heart attack.

Staley then called his aunt Alice Cameron, who arrived around the time the paramedics were there. Cameron took Robertson to the hospital, and he was later airlifted to Emory Midtown Atlanta.

Cameron called her from the hospital to ask what she had given him. His doctor wanted to know.

“I told them my doctor told me when something like that happens for me to take a low dose of Bayer. So, I had given him the lose dose of Bayer aspirin, and he had some Rolaids,” Staley said.

Cameron said her nephew had open heart surgery and is doing well now. 

“He’s doing very good and the doctors are saying how remarkable it is about his recovery and everything,” Cameron said. “I am so thankful for [Staley]. He’s really my nephew, but he’s just like my little brother.”

Staley said she had tried calling Robertson since Sunday but did not hear from him until he texted her Friday thanking her for what she did.

“He is doing well and the Bayer aspirin helped, they said,” Staley said. “That’s all I did. I’m just glad he got there.”

Staley said she didn’t even mean to go to Dollar General Sunday.

“I was headed to Ingles to get a loaf of bread and for some reason I changed directions and went to Dollar General in Hogansville,” Staley said.