A woman rescued from a fire at Valley River Inn reunited via Zoom with the hero who saved her.
Stacey Barkley, who lives in Chicago, had flown to the Pacific Northwest to visit her son in Vancouver, Washington, for his 30th birthday and drove down to see her sister-in-law in Eugene.
Barkley was staying at Valley River Inn on Tuesday when she says a fire broke out in a nearby room. She says her room began to fill with smoke. She grabbed her wedding ring and two bags and panicked as she looked for the safest exit. She ended up going out to the balcony.
Greg Spike was on a jogging path nearby and heard her call for help. He then called to her to jump and said he would break her fall.
“I just saw Greg and screamed for help, and he came right over… so I really appreciate that you did that for me,” Barkley told Spike on Friday. “Not everyone would do that. And you were very calm and helpful to try and keep me calm.”
Fire Chief Mike Caven says they also appreciate Spike’s bravery.
“When bystanders step in when we’re on our way, they truly have the ability to make a difference, so we really appreciate the work that individual did,” said Caven.
“Thank you for being a caring person…you risked your life to come help me too, not knowing what was there,” said Barkley. “So you’re a wonderful human being, and I’m blessed to have met you, in a terrible way, but I’m blessed to have met you.”
Barkley and Spike hope to reunite in person when she returns to Eugene in June for the birth of her grandson.