Colorado woman has a life-saving reason to praise jury duty

Jury duty turned out to be a godsend for one Colorado woman.

Senior citizen Shirley Bennet’s life was saved last month while participating in the usually dreaded civic obligation — after she had a massive coronary in the Arapahoe County courthouse and was rescued by nearby first responders, reports said.

Leaving one of the courtrooms during a break, Bennet, 69, fell to the ground while on a bench.

Others – that Bennet reportedly called “angels with skin and invisible wings” –quickly jumped into action.


Shirley Bennet's life was saved last month after having a health scare in the courthouse.
Shirley Bennet’s life was saved last month after having a health scare in the courthouse.
9News

Deputies did CPR for about 10 minutes as a district attorney who is also a physician kept track of her pulse before paramedics arrived, according to KUSA.

After reportedly suffering three heart attacks, she was finally back in the courthouse Thursday still overwhelmed by the luck she encountered as she met with the deputies and paramedics that saved her life.


Shirley Bennet had a massive coronary in the the Arapahoe County courthouse and was rescued by nearby first responders.
Bennet had a massive coronary in the the Arapahoe County courthouse and was rescued by nearby first responders.
Arapaho County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

“I look around, I’m overwhelmed and overcome,” Bennet said as she got choked up, according to the news station. “OK, keep it together. Overcome because I went through a crisis totally unexpected and God sent angels with skin and invisible wings.” 

One of the first deputies on the scene to help Bennet that day said everyone involved in the heroics were simply doing their jobs.

“That’s what we’re trained to do – keep going, keep going, keep going,” Sgt. Robert Chase said, according to KDVR.


Medical team is spotted helping Shirley Bennet after she had a coronary.
Medical team is seen helping Bennet after she had a coronary.
Arapaho County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

Each deputy received recognition for their actions that day.

And Bennet now has a newfound appreciation for something most people detest.

“As I said, I’ll never complain about jury duty again,” Bennet quipped, according to KUSA.  

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