Client saves Winston-Salem hairdresser having stroke

A Winston-Salem hairdresser said a longtime client saved her life.

Amy Shoemaker had a stroke while washing a volunteer firefighter's hair at her salon, and he knew exactly what to do next.

Shoemaker said she was washing client Brent Sharpe's hair as she has for 30-plus years.

"We were just joking around like we normally do," said Sharpe.

For the first time, she didn't laugh at his joke.

"Instead she didn't say anything, and then she fell to the floor," Sharpe said.

"I literally went down like a tree, like boom, right there on the floor," Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker didn't realize she was having a stroke, but luckily Sharpe was an EMT and saw the signs.

"Drawn face on one side, speech was very slurred and then weakness on one side," Sharpe described.

Those are classic symptoms Dr. Morry Brown from Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center said everyone should look out for.

"You look for balance, eye problems, facial droop," described Brown.

The acronym to remember is "Be Fast."

• B - balance
• E - eye problems
• F - facial droop
• A - arm weakness
• S - speech slurring
• T - time - call 911 immediately

"It doesn't take anyone especially trained to recognize something different is going on and making that phone call to 911," Sharpe said.

"Within 45 minutes I was on my way to surgery, that's remarkable timing," Shoemaker added.

Shoemaker said she's incredibly grateful for the quick actions of Sharpe in the moment -- and even his delay beforehand. He was late to the appointment.

"I figured it was better that she didn't have scissors in her hand when she fell, that's probably a good outcome," Sharpe said.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet can prevent strokes along with quitting smoking, because tobacco use increases the risk of stroke.