Summary

Supers/Fonts: Amy Shoemaker, hairdresser / Brent Sharpe, Firefighter / Dr Morry Brown, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center

Story Location: Winston-Salem

State/Province: North Carolina

Shot Date: 05/31/2024

URL: https://wwwwxii12com/article/winston-salem-hairdresser-stroke-during-appointment-novant-doctor-talks-prevention-awareness/60959742

Notes and Restrictions:

Newsource Notes:

Story Description:
Elements: b-roll of Amy Shoemaker working in hair salon / SOTs: Amy Shoemaker, hairdresser / SOTs: Brent Sharpe, Firefighter / SOT: Dr Morry Brown, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center / BE-FAST graphic


Wire/StoryDescription:

WINSTON-SALEM, NC
Amy Shoemaker has been a hairdresser for more than 41 years For at least 30 of them, Brent Sharpe has been in her chair, going from longtime client to, eventually, friend

They have a similar routine: Sharpe cracks jokes, Shoemaker makes comments back, and his haircut is done just in time for him to go back to work as a pharmacist Sharpe is also a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Clemmons


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His friendship with Shoemaker and career made him uniquely prepared for an emergency situation a few years ago, when Shoemaker did not laugh at his joke When he looked up, he knew something was wrong

Then she fell to the floor, Sharpe said She had a drawn face on one side, speech was very slurred and then weakness on one side

He called 911 immediately, recognizing the clear signs that Shoemaker was having a stroke She was taken to Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and was in surgery within 45 minutes

Dr Morry Brown, her diagnostic radiologist, said the quick timing and action are always crucial

Technology has improved at warp speed, Brown said So if youre having a stroke, there are things we can do about it now

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Brown said the best thing you can do for loved ones is to know the acronym, BE-FAST

B: Balance
E: Eyes, having blurry or double vision
F: Face drooping
A: Arm weakness
S: Slurred Speech
T: Time to call 911
Shoemaker is thankful Sharpe knew the signs, and also that he was running late to his appointment that day

Had he been there earlier, I wouldve had a pair of shears in my hand and it couldve been devastating for him, too, she said We talk about it now and he says, 'I could've lost what hair I do have, or an ear'

Now, Sharpe said he's intentionally late to all his appointments, since it worked out so well for him that time And Shoemaker said he'll have a free pass to be late for life, for potentially saving her life

Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center is one of three medical centers that is certified by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center Find more information on stroke risk and prevention here


Station Notes/Scripts:
AS WE'VE REACHED THE FINAL DAY OF MAY - IT'S ALSO BRINGING AN END TO STROKE AWARENESS MONTH
but that doesn't mean the conversation should stop
WXII 12'S JACKIE PASCAL SPOKE TO ONE SURVIVOR WHO SAYS THE KNOWLEDGE AND A QUICK RESPONSE IS THE REASON SHE'S STILL HERE TODAY

[TAKE PKG
OUTCUE:it's okay
DURATION:1:52]

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--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
NAT: WIDE OF HER COLORING HAIR (2771, :05 music fade in)


AMY SHOEMAKER SPENDS A *LOT OF TIME - HERE


2769 :07 he was so sweet


AT HER HAIR SALON IN WINSTON-SALEM


:55 so she doesn't have rootage


BUT ESPECIALLY

2763 2:10 right here, me and the bowl

AT THE SHAMPOO BOWL

BUT ONE WASH WAS ALMOST HER LAST


ZOOM W/ RESPONDER: BRENT SHARPE

2:23 we were just joking around, like we normally do (3)


SHE WAS WASHING CLIENT BRENT SHARPE'S HAIR AS SHE HAS FOR 30-PLUS YEARS

BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME - SHE DIDN'T LAUGH AT HIS JOKE


BRENT ZOOM

2:31 instead she didn't say anything and then she fell to the floor 2:36

2763 AMY :39 I literally went down like a tree (2) like boom right there on the floor (5)


SHE DIDN'T REALIZE SHE WAS HAVING A STROKE

BUT LUCKILY SHARPE IS A FIREFIGHTER AND E-M-T AND SAW THE SIGNS


BRENT ZOOM 4:19 drawn face on one side, speech was very slurred and then weakness on one side 4:25


THESE ARE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS NOVANT DOCTOR MORRY BROWN SAYS WE SHOULD *ALL LOOK OUT FOR


ZOOM W/ DOC

8:27 you look for BALANCE, EYE PROBLEMS, FACIAL DROOP (5)


THOSE ARE THE FIRST THREE LETTERS OF THE ACRONYM TO REMEMBER BE-FAST

A IS FOR ARM WEAKNESS AND S SPEECH SLURRING

T TIME IS THE FINAL - AND MOST CRUCIAL LETTER

CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY

?

BRENT ZOOM

6:50 it doesn't take anyone especially trained to recognize something different is going on and making that phone call to 911 (6)

2763 AMY

1:24 within 45 minutes I was on my way to surgery (2) that's remarkable timing (5)


SHOEMAKER SAYS SHE'S INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE QUICK ACTION OF SHARPE IN THE MOMENT

AND EVEN HIS *DELAY BEFOREHAND

HE WAS LATE TO THE APPOINTMENT


ZOOM BRENT

5:17 I figured it was better that she didn't have scissors in her hand when she fell, that's probably a good outcome 5:21

2763 AMY

3:58 he said I could've lost what hair I did have, or an ear

BUTTED TO

2761 AMY

11:47 Brent has a writ of passage to always be late if he needs to (4) it's okay


THAT WAS JACKIE PASCAL REPORTING
SHARPE SAYS HE'S *INTENTIONALLY* LATE TO ALL HIS APPOINTMENTS NOW, JUST IN CASE
DR BROWN, WHO YOU HEARD FROM, SAYS THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT STROKES

THE BIGGEST OF THESE IS NOT SMOKING
TOBACCO USE INCREASES THE RISK OF STrOKE UP TO FOUR TIMES
ALSO GET REGULAR EXERCISE AND EAT A HEALTHY DIET FILLED WITH HIGH FIBER, FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND LOWER FATS


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