Madison County woman searching for deputies who saved her life to thank them

MADISON COUNTY, Ala (WHNT) — A Madison County woman is looking for the deputies who went above and beyond on a day where she says they likely saved her life.

“My oxygen level had dropped to 56, and a normal oxygen level is 94 or higher, so I was on the verge of being diseased,” said Braddie Barbour, describing what she went through that day.

But for Barbour, that Tuesday started off as a regular morning.

“I had went through the house and opened all the blinds, and by the time I got to the couch here, I couldn’t breathe,” she said.

She called 9-1-1, barely getting out words.

“I just remember they said, don’t hang up, and I said, ‘okay’ and that’s the last thing I remember,” she said.

Barber lost consciousness.

“They had went around and looked in the doors and windows and they couldn’t see me, but when they came to the back door, they seen that I was fell over in a chair,” said Barbour.

Deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s office acted quickly, busting down her door and performing life-saving measures until HEMSI arrived.

Later finding out her lungs had filled with fluid.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I would come out of the hospital, so I’m just like I said, I’m so thankful to be here today and to be able to talk to you,” she said.

While Barbour was being treated at the hospital, the deputies decided to take their duties even further.

First, they stayed around and waited for her husband to arrive.

“They met my husband out front and told him that I was at the hospital and I was in good hands.”

Then they went an extra step.

“We found some nails, so we nailed your frame up so your door would lay shut, and so we put your puppy back in the house, and, so we took care of her, and that meant a lot,” said Barber

She’s now home but said life looks a lot different now.

“I even keep cans of oxygen in certain parts of the house now, so I took a lot of precautions, but I never even thought of before,” said Barbour.

She said she feels lucky to be alive, and touched by the deputy’s actions.

“Once I found out what they had done, you know, I thought people don’t realize what more officers do, not just give tickets… you know, they save lives,” she said.

Now, she has a message for them and wants to thank them.

“I really, really appreciate them and would really love to meet them, and this let them know how much I appreciate them, because they did save my life,” she said. “I am so thankful.”

She also has a message for everyone else, too.

“The experience coming out of this is don’t take anything for granted because we’re not promised tomorrow,” she said. “We’re not promised the next minute.”

If you know the deputies involved, please feel free to reach out to us here at News 19!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.