06/11/2026
On Feb. 21, 2026, Gretl Talbot looked in the mirror and saw her worst fear staring back at her... the 18-year-old Payson High School senior was having a stroke. Two months earlier, she'd completed the requirements to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) through Mountainland Technical College and she realized exactly what was happening. That's when her training kicked in with life-saving clarity.
Within just 3 minutes, Santaquin City Fire/EMS responded and Gretl was transported to Mountain View Hospital. Miraculously, Gretl recovered and was able to walk the stage at her high school graduation! But, before that, she reunited with the medical team who cared for her. 💙🧡
WATCH: https://bit.ly/4xkMCKN via Spencer Joseph
"I was really sad, honestly, to leave my nurses," Gretl told FOX 13 News. "Getting to thank them is really, really special to me because they're never going to know enough how much I'm thankful for them. They really saved my life."
Gretl's quick thinking was the difference between recovery and devastating loss.
"Time is tissue. Our brain is tissue," explained Amanda McCoy, the ICU and Cath Lab manager at MountainStar Healthcare's Payson hospital. "The longer we go without oxygen to vital organs and tissue, we lose that, and it's very hard to recover. Time was very important. And it was on her side, because she recognized all of the things that mattered."
The experience didn't just save Gretl's life — it revealed her calling. During the reunion, she shared news that brought her nurses to tears: she plans to pursue nursing at BYU-Idaho this fall.
Way to go, Gretl! We are cheering you on every step of the way. You will make the BEST nurse! 🎉🎉🎉
HCA Healthcare
The right side of her face was drooping. Her hand was completely numb. In that terrifying moment, Gretl Talbot's recent training as a certified nursing assistant kicked in with life-saving clarity.