Bill Graham / The Meridian Star “I love my town, and I’m so proud to live in a place where people care about one another,” said Betty Lou Jones, who suffered a heart attack and stroke in July. 

Helen Keller said, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”

Betty Lou Jones is living proof of that statement.

Jones, 77, was going about her usual community work on July 15 when she suffered a debilitating heart attack.

She was helping set up Dumont Plaza for July’s Third Thursday event when she realized something was wrong. 

In true “Betty Lou Jones” fashion, she drove herself home and then called an ambulance to tell them her symptoms, to emphasize she thought it was a heart attack, and that she would leave her front door open.

“After that, I don’t remember a thing that happened,” Jones recalled. “Six days later, I woke up in Anderson’s Hospital with five stents making my heart work the way it was supposed to work. I also learned that I had had a stroke, so my condition was still serious. J.W. (Jones’ husband) never left my side.”

After some recovery time, Jones was transferred to Tom C. Maynor Rehabilitation Center in Meridian. She was then admitted to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where she spent eight weeks undergoing speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy, and everything in between.

Jones was amazed at the outreach she received all the way from Meridian to Atlanta.

“I got so much mail at home, at the center, and so many people, some people I didn’t even know, from all over sent cards, prayers, texts, and encouragement,” she said.

“I even met a woman who was getting her therapy at the center. She grew up around Meridian, and she remembered eating the Black Bottom Pie at Weidmann’s. It was so special connecting with someone who knew my city.”

“It’s such a rude awakening when something like this happens, but one thing is for sure, I have a greater appreciation for my family, my friends, and my community. It makes you stop and think how special Meridian is.”

A grateful family

Jenny Jones Bryan, Jones’ middle daughter, explains how grateful her family is for her mother’s medical team.

“My mother’s entire cardiac team worked to save her life,” she said. “Beginning with the driver of the ambulance who immediately began the proper protocol, Mom was given the best care in the quickest time frame. She gave her cell phone to the EMT, so when we couldn’t find her and neighbors alerted us to an ambulance leaving her house, he answered her phone to tell us where she was. When she arrived at the ER, they recognized the severity of her situation and took her straight to the Cath Lab. Because all these medical personnel did their job, my mom is alive today,” she adds.

Jones is also appreciative of her medical team. She says, “I am so thankful to Dr. Bennett, Dr. Cady, Dr. McDonald, and Dr. Philips, as well as the nurses and medical professionals who do their job like clockwork every single day for every patient.”

Jones’ youngest son, Will, also expressed how important a quick response by the emergency technicians and medical team were to his mother’s survival. He credits her medical team in Meridian with preparing her for the work she did at the Shepherd Center.

As to how the family came to learn about the Shepherd Center, he explains, “I had a fraternity brother who lives in Atlanta, and he was very aware of the reputation of the Center. He knew they were helping patients with head injuries and spinal issues, but he was also aware of their work with stroke patients. When he heard about my mom, he recommended this facility. My family was amazed at the positive impact they had on patients from all over the world, but we were especially thrilled with the progress my mother made while she was there.”

Citizen servant

From serving on the Mississippi State Parole Board, the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, Merrehope, the Arts Council, the American Cancer Society, and Keep America Beautiful, Jones has been influential, expressing her devotion to Meridian and Lauderdale County as a citizen servant.

Bryan says it wasn’t surprising that her mother was volunteering when she became ill.

“She even called my dad and told him they needed him at Dumont Plaza to help set up; she failed to tell him she thought she was having a heart attack,” she said, with a laugh. “So, he was working to help with the setup of Third Thursday when we called him to tell him she had been admitted to the hospital.”

Lou Ann Jones Lamar, Jones’ oldest daughter, is proud of her mom’s recovery.

“We were all amazed, but not surprised at how hard she worked to regain her speech and her mobility.,” she said. “She and my dad moved to Atlanta for her eight-week rehab. To begin, she stayed at the Center, then they both lived in a small apartment, a place for families who have a loved one at the Shepherd Center. When Jenny and I visited Mom during fall break, we knew everything was going to be okay.”

“People talk about small towns, but Meridian sure did love us big,” she emphasized. “I’m just so thankful that she has returned, and even though our dad is doing a great job of caregiver, she is becoming more and more independent.”

Today, Jones is “itching” to re-engage with her community activities. But, she explains she will try to take it easy and step back from her “usual 200% speed”.

“I love my town, and I’m so proud to live in a place where people care about one another,” she said. “The holidays are always special for my family, but this year, we all have a new appreciation for being together to celebrate the season.”