Friends who have known each other for many years often can tell when the other is not feeling well. That turned out to be true for Melissa Breazeale, a pharmacy technician at Walmart, and her old friend, Joe D. Rockett.
The two met about 30 years ago, when Rockett worked at Jitney Jungle and Breazeale worked right next door at Eckerd’s.
“We saw each other every day,” said Breazeale.
“Occasionally we would even have lunch together,” Rockett said.
On one recent day, however, Rockett arrived at the Walmart pharmacy and Breazeale said she noticed he did not seem himself.
“He didn’t look like he normally does, and he said he had gas. I got him a Sprite, but that didn’t help,” Breazeale said.
Breazeale suspected Rockett was not simply suffering from gas.
“I put him on the blood pressure machine, and his pressure was out the roof,” she said. Realizing that Rockett was alone, she enlisted fellow Walmart employees to drive him to the hospital.
Rockett initially thought going to the hospital was unnecessary.
“I thought it was just gas and wanted to go home,” said Rockett. “But my good friend (Breazeale) made sure that I made it to the hospital.”
After being admitted to the hospital overnight, Rockett was sent to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he received a stent.
“I can be hard-headed,” Rockett said with a laugh, “but I have certainly learned a good lesson.” At 79, Rockett said he is now doing well and is grateful to Breazeale and her quick thinking.
This long-lasting friendship certainly paid off for Rockett.
“I am grateful that I helped to save his life that day,” said Breazeale.
