Family affair: woman collapses at work near husband, revived by medic sister-in-law

GASTONIA, N.C. — A local officer rushed to help a fallen woman suffering a heart attack. Moments later, he realized she was his wife.

Cpl. Cliff Lowrance and his wife, Darlene, both work at the Gaston County Courthouse. Three weeks ago, he left her office after chatting about vacation plans. Just after leaving, he got a call about a medical emergency.

“I had no Earthly idea it was going to be my wife,” Cliff said.

He told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon he watched as her heart stopped beating and remembered what could have been his last words to his wife.

“I say I love you. She said I love you. Big smile on her face,” said Cliff.

Medics had finished responding to another medical emergency blocks away when Darlene collapsed.

One of the medics that arrived to help was their sister-in-law. She didn’t get a good look at the patient at first and only realized the relation as she kept working.

“Her words were, ‘Oh my God, I just realize who this is,’” said Cliff. “It couldn’t have happened at a better time.”

Darlene’s heart stopped beating while her husband stood next to her. Medics revived her and took her to the CaroMont Regional Medical Center where she stayed in a medically induced coma for nearly a week.

“I didn’t know how my life was going to be. I know I didn’t want to be without her. She is all I’ve known,” Cliff said.

After six days, Darlene was responsive. They believe everything happened when it did to give Darlene the best chance of surviving.

“My soul, my hope, my faith has just been tremendous,” Darlene told Channel 9.

The couple is working to get special recognition for the medics who responded to that call for help.

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