MO farmer meets deputy who saved his life during heart attack

BARTON COUNTY, Mo. — A man given a second chance at life, meets the man who saved his life.

Barton County farmer, Arnold Spencer, was filled with joy Thursday.

"I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Spencer.

On his day off from the Newton County Sheriff's Office, Sergeant Nick Booe traveled to rural Barton County to see spencer for the first time since May 15.

While sitting at the intersection of 32nd Street and Connecticut Avenue in Joplin, Sergeant Booe saw something wrong.

"I thought it was just another motorist having issues with their car,” said Sergeant Booe.

He quickly realized spencer was having a medical emergency — behind the wheel of his car.

"I've got to get the vehicle stopped and get him out and render some aid,” said Sergeant Booe.

Spencer was having a heart attack.

| Driver Has Heart Attack, Deputy Witnesses And Saves His Life >

"The window was down so I was able to reach through and unlock the door and get in there and put my foot on the break. If you watch the video you hear me say, 'break, break, break.’ I'm doing that because if he was to wake up, I don't want him thinking I'm some guy stealing his car, so I'm repeating what I'm doing, that way if he came to, he would know what I was trying to do,” said Sergeant Booe.

Sergeant Booe then pulled the unconscious Spencer out of the driver's seat and performed CPR until additional help arrived.

"I've done CPR before on people but nothing to this extent,” said Sergent Booe.

After two weeks in the hospital, Spencer made a full recovery and says he's alive today because of who a higher power put in the right place at the right time.

"I was a very lucky man to have the people around me at that time,” said Spencer.

"I think the lord put me at that intersection,” said Sergeant Booe.

"We continue to say the officer was put there by God. The right place at the right time,” said Spencer’s daughter, Susie Johnson.

"That guy is my guardian angel. I've said it 100,000 times, he is my guardian angel. God sent him there,” said Spencer.

Sergeant Booe is grateful he could help but is quick to pass the title of "hero" to others.

"To me, the people I work with every day, the people on my team, they're the heroes. I'm just there working with them,” said Sergeant Booe.

And while this is their first meeting, Spencer says it won't be their last.

"I am going to take him out to dinner. Him and his wife both,” said Spencer.