News anchor stumbled over her words on live TV, so her concerned colleagues called 911—it saved her life

Health scares do not come with prior warnings. Whether you are out having fun or at work, unpredictable health emergencies can be dangerous if not taken care of quickly. A news anchor from Oklahoma named Julie Chin was at her desk in 2022, reading a Saturday morning newscast for NBC affiliate KJRH-Tulsa when similar happened to her, according to NBC News. All of a sudden, she started fumbling while reading from the teleprompter and after wrapping up her segment, she sent some incoherent texts to her husband.

Little did Chin know that those were the first signs of an incoming stroke. “I need help. Something is not Run today. My work won’t work is working my help my (sic),” the anchor wrote in her confusing text message. “I never send messages like that, obviously,” Chin said in an interview with the publication. “That just shows my state of mind that morning. I just couldn’t put any words together as hard as I tried.” Chin was reading out a live report on an event that marked the attempted launch of NASA's Artemis I rocket when she began feeling off.

She took to her Facebook page to elaborate about what actually happened to her. Chin thanked everyone who sent her prayers, messages and calls to check up on her. She had visited a doctor after that day and they believed it was the "beginnings of a stroke live on the air" that many audiences sitting at home had witnessed. Chin explained that she was feeling great before she went for newscasting and then partially lost vision in one eye, followed by numbness in her hands and arms. Chin realized something was wrong when her mouth could not form the words that scrolled on the teleprompter. 

"My co-workers recognized the emergency unfolding and called 911. Anne, Jordan, TJ, and Kaden, I’m so grateful for your quick action. I’ve always said I work on the best team. I’ve spent the last few days in the hospital undergoing all sorts of tests. I’m thankful for the emergency responders and medical professionals who have shared their expertise, hearts and smiles with me," she continued in her post. "I’ve learned that it’s not always obvious when someone has a stroke and action is critical," Chin added. However, Chin, who was in her 40s, continued to look for medical answers to the health scare she faced. 

Chin's family doesn't have a history of suffering strokes and she believed that she healthily handled stress. After her experience, Chin urged people to recognize certain signs of an incoming stroke. It might involve one losing their balance, changes in their vision, drooping face or getting sudden headaches and letting out confusing speech. “When it comes to anything medical, if you think you need help, if something’s really not right, don’t be afraid to ask for help," Chin added, per the outlet. "I tried to tough through it and that wasn’t the best thing to do.”

Even though Chin's little clip of fumbling on camera had gone viral on the internet and it wasn't her proudest professional moment, she is grateful that people who truly cared about her came together to pray and cheer for her. The clip was also shared on X by the retired senior executive of NBC Universal, @MikeSington. "She knew something was wrong, so tossed it to the meteorologist, as her concerned colleagues called 911. She’s fine now but wanted to share her experience to educate viewers on stroke warning signs," he wrote alongside the clip.