Three Georgia prisoners helped save the life of their guard who suffered a heart attack.
Deputy Warren Hobbs from Gwinnett County Jail fell unconscious outside the inmates’ cell doors, suffering a cardiac emergency. Prisoners Mitchell Smalls, Terry Loveless, and Walter Whitehead immediately rushed to help him, Daily Mail reports.
First, Smalls alerted the other inmates to the emergency. As soon as their doors were open, Loveless and Whitehead rushed to Hobbs’ side. Mitchell told FOX 5 he first thought the guard was sleeping, but then he noticed the deputy was acting strangely. He explained: “Kinda was like laying back in his chair and just started [making noises].”
As CBS Evening News reveals, after losing consciousness, the deputy fell to the floor and split his head.
Whitehead continued: “It scared me. I don’t care if it’s a police officer or whoever it was. I will do whatever I can to save a man. I don’t want anyone to die.”
Loveless added: “It was sad because it didn’t look good at all but the man had fight in him to get up.”
Surveillance footage shows Smalls banging on his cell door to alarm the other prisoners for the emergency. His fellow inmates then help him raise as much noise as possible, so they can be heard, and they could help the guard. Luckily, the noise was enough to wake Hobbs up. Despite his severe condition, the deputy managed to unlock Loveless and Whitehead’s cells. Once their doors were open, they instantly ran to help the guard.
The clever inmates used Hobbs’ phone and radio to call for help.
Thankfully, Hobbs is now recovering at home. The prison guard shares the only thing he remembers from the incident was loud sounds and people shouting his name.
The inmates who helped save the deputy’s life are now called heroes for their selfless act.
In a Twitter post on their official account, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office expressed their gratitude for the prisoners’ help:
“Kudos to these inmates for coming to the aid of our deputy when he suffered a cardiac emergency in a jail housing unit. We thank them for their timely assistance and the lesson their actions provide. It’s not the uniform that makes a hero. It’s the person wearing it.”
Kudos to these inmates for coming to the aid of our deputy when he suffered a cardiac emergency in a jail housing unit. We thank them for their timely assistance and the lesson their actions provide. It's not the uniform that makes a hero. It's the person wearing it. pic.twitter.com/tVDJX2FcQP
— Gwinnett Sheriff's Office (@GwinnettSO) July 29, 2020
Additionally, the sheriff’s office wrote in a statement:
“These inmates came to his aid because our deputy, like most law enforcement officers, treats people with the dignity they deserve. These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to render aid to a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn’t hesitate. Many people have strong opinions about law enforcement officers and criminals but this incident clearly illustrates the potential goodness found in both.”
According to official records, Smalls, Whitehead, and Loveless are imprisoned over drug charges.