When a Kentucky couple visiting Fort Worth suffered a life-threatening emergency outside their downtown hotel, strangers ran to their aid. As the couple prepared to return home, they made it their mission to say ‘thank you’ to everyone involved

This was the first year Victoria Carpenter convinced her husband Walter to join her for a trip to North Texas to attend the annual Mary Kay convention.

The Kentucky couple had just pulled up to a downtown Fort Worth hotel when Walter collapsed outside.

Strangers ran to help.

A woman walking to her valet job nearby happened to catch Walter as he fell, called 9-1-1 and started CPR.

Then, a retired police officer staying in the hotel happened to walk outside and continued CPR until paramedics arrived.

“I watched [Walter] die right in front of me,” said Victoria Carpenter.

Victoria says paramedics shocked her husband six times and continued CPR for 20 minutes. The process fractured his sternum and broke ribs, but Walter survived and was rushed to Harris Methodist Hospital.

Doctors told the couple that Walter suffered a widowmaker heart attack.

After two surgeries and a week in the hospital, the Carpenters are on a mission before heading home to Kentucky.

They’re hoping to reach everyone who stopped to help.

“What do you do for somebody who saved your life?” said Victoria.

They made sure to thank their care team at the hospital before being discharged.

“The nursing staff is amazing – over the top,” said Walter.

Then, made a trip to the hotel to see the manager, Kim, who comforted Victoria through an unexpected and prolonged Fort Worth stay, along with the bellman who helped the day of the heart attack.

“Nicholas – the bellman – picked me off the ground when I was out of mind,” said Victoria.

And finally, there was an emotional reunion between Walter and Tatyana, the valet, who caught Walter as he passed out.

“We owe them my life,” said Walter.

“There’s so much discord and everything, and these people were being kind. These people were doing the right thing. These people gave us both each other for as long as we get to be here,” Victoria said.

A heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone as they prepare to leave town.

“You have kind people in Fort Worth; let me just tell you.”

The Carpenters later learned the retired police officer who intervened with his first responder training is also from Kentucky and does not live too far away from them. They plan on reuniting soon.

Victoria said she was grateful to her Mary Kay friends and Walter’s family that flew in from around the country to be by their side.

The couple said they reached out to NBC 5 because they wanted to make sure anyone they may have missed here in North Texas was thanked.