A Murfreesboro Police Officer had an emotional reunion with the man whom he brought back to life after a crash.
"Thank God for you. How you doing buddy? You look a whole lot better than when I saw you last time," said Murfreesboro Police officer Terry Spence through tears as he hugged Joey Steakley.
He last saw Steakley being carted away on a stretcher - battered and clinging to life.
'It's a miracle you're alive brother," said Spence.
Steakley remembered little of what happened, but he knew his life could've been cut short.
"I died at the wheel," he said.
Steakley was driving with his wife on Church Street when he suffered a massive heart attack, passed out and slammed into a brick wall.
Officer Spence was first on the scene.
"His color was grey; eyes were fixed. His mouth was open," said Spence.
He immediately started CPR until paramedics arrived, who then rushed Steakley to the hospital. Spence didn't know if the man would live or die.
Doctors told Steakley's wife he'd survive.
"They told me that Officer Spence brought him back to life, that he was dead," said Nita Steakley.
As an officer, Spence deals with tragedy.
"You've seen death on the job. Yes, you see it weekly," said Spence.
However, for him, a 30-year veteran, saving a life was still no less amazing.
"I had tears in my eyes and was elated." said Spence.
"I thank God and Jesus. They sent a guardian angle to me to give him back to me and I thought to myself I couldn't live without him," said Nita Steakley.
Thanks to the quick action of a police officer, she won't have to.
"I'm just doing my job," said Spence.
"I appreciate what you did for me. I wouldn't be here now," said Steakley
Sgt. Kyle Evans with the Murfreesboro Police Department said officer Spence has been nominated by his superiors for the department's live saving award.
