TULSA, Okla. — It was a random trip to a local restaurant that changed two Tulsa families lives forever and it was a reunion that forged a friendship that will last a lifetime.
Gary and Julie Talley say they met a pair of angels on Friday, Oct. 11 when Mr. Talley went into cardiac arrest in Talley’s Café.
Thanks to the help of two strangers, Mr. Talley survived the heart attack and recovered so well that he was back at work in just three days after being rushed to the hospital.
After the Mr. Talley recovered, he and his family were determined to find the person who helped them, so they reached out to 2 Works For You.
Related story: Man who suffered heart attack wants to find and thank strangers who saved his life
With the help of our viewers, the two helpful strangers were found.
“I noticed I had 40 missed text messages and four phone calls and all sorts of other people,” said Bayley Lewis, the person who gave Talley CPR. “So when my phone up I saw the first text from my Aunt saying ‘Call Channel 2 News, they’re looking for you!”
Bayley Lewis and her husband Jordan Lewis were not even “supposed” to be at Tally’s the night they met the Talley family.
“We were going to celebrate my mothers birthday and this woman, my Mimaw, she only likes Chinese food and Italian food so we go to the same Chinese restaurant every year,” Mrs. Lewis said. “But that week she called us and said ‘No I want to go to Talley’s,’ and we’re like what?!”
“We were surprised but we were really okay with it,” Mr. Lewis said. “We do really like Tally’s.”
It was there at Tally’s that Mr. & Mrs. Lewis saved the Talley family.
“God really orchestrated that whole day from the beginning to us being at Tally’s at the right time,” Mrs. Lewis said. “Our food had just come out and I hear a lady call for help and when I turned around, I noticed Mr. Tally was blue.”
Mrs. Lewis has been a registered nurse for over 15 years.
“I don’t know why I did it, and I didn’t even think about it,” Mrs. Lewis said. “I never though in a million years I would use it outside of the hospital setting but I am so glad I knew what to do.”
While Mrs. Lewis performed CPR on Mr. Talley. Mr. Lewis comforted his children.
“When the son was crying the only thing I knew was to just, pull him to me,” Mr. Lewis said.
They were perfect strangers who wanted to make sure another family didn’t feel alone.
“Wanted them to know that yeah I’m here and God’s here too,” Mr. Lewis said.
Mrs. Lewis was able to get Mr. Talley’s heart beat back before the ambulance arrived, but after that night they were left wondering about the man they tried to save.
“We were checking the obituaries just to make sure he wasn’t in there,” Mrs. Lewis said.
Then last week, Mrs. and Mr. Lewis’s phones started to go off constantly.
“I noticed I had 40 missed text messages and four phone calls and all sorts of other people so when I opened it up I saw the first text from my Aunt saying ‘Call Channel 2 News, they’re looking for you,” Mrs. Talley said.
2 Works For You coordinated the meeting between the Talley family and Lewis family. It was a meeting both families had been praying for.
“They’re family now, they’re family,” Mrs. Talley said.
“We just feel so blessed to have just played a part in their lives,” Mr. Lewis said. “We are so happy be were able to help so now they can continue living as a great, wonderful family.”
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