Last Friday Mike Roberts, an old friend and an incredible lawyer suffered a massive heart attack in Court. His life was saved by an Assistant District Attorney and a Court Coordinator. Here is the original story from the Waco Trib:

"Courthouse employees scramble to help save life of Waco attorney Mike Roberts who collapsed

Saturday, November 08, 2008

By Tommy Witherspoon

Tribune-Herald staff writer

Fast action by some cool-headed courthouse employees Friday morning may have saved the life of a popular Waco attorney.

Michael B. Roberts, who apparently was running late, was seen scurrying across Washington Avenue toward the McLennan County Courthouse early Friday. Seated in 54th State District Court for routine pretrial docket call, Roberts began experiencing difficulty breathing and suffered an apparent heart attack as Judge Matt Johnson was calling a list of defendants.

Johnson singled out the calm responses of Assistant District Attorney Wayne Coughran, 19th State District Court assistant court coordinator Ellen Watson and the team of courthouse deputies for jumping in and helping the 60-year-old Roberts before fire department first responders and ambulance service paramedics arrived to take over.

Coughran and Watson, who both have previous emergency medical training, started CPR on Roberts, whom Watson said was not breathing and did not have a pulse when they began.

“We knew we had to do something for him,” said Coughran, who like most of the 50 or so people in the courtroom at the time, appeared shaken and somber afterward.

Watson said she learned emergency training after her son was hit by a car when he was 4.

She said she felt so helpless then that she took a course so she would be better prepared in emergency situations.

Courthouse deputies Sgt. Jimmie Channon, Jack Campbell and Donald Taylor rushed a defibrillator from their first-floor office to the third-floor courtroom as Sheriff’s Office investigator James Pack, a former ambulance company paramedic, rushed over from the courthouse annex to help.

The deputies shocked Roberts with the defibrillator about 10 times and then turned over his care to paramedics as Larry Courtney, a courthouse deputy and Baptist minister, led a group that included Roberts’ wife, Wanda, in a prayer.

Roberts was rushed to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon. Later Friday night, hospital officials said Roberts was still in critical condition."

After spending the weekend on life support they were able to revive him. Today's article from the Waco Trib:

"After being removed from life support following heart attack, Waco attorney Mike Roberts asks for a cigarette and beer

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

By Tommy Witherspoon

Tribune-Herald staff writer

One of the first things Michael B. Roberts did after he was removed from life support Sunday was to say he could really go for a beer and a cigarette.

His family and those who know him were relieved to hear about his requests, which signaled that he is feeling better and has not changed much.

Roberts, a Waco attorney, was still listed in critical condition Monday in Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center’s intensive care unit after suffering a major heart attack Friday morning at the McLennan County Courthouse. Sheriff Larry Lynch Monday praised deputies and others at the courthouse who used CPR and a defibrillator to revive Roberts, who, one attorney said, initially had no pulse and was not breathing.

“We are just taking it slow and easy,” Roberts’ son, Troy, said Monday from the intensive-care waiting room. “He is doing better and doing some talking and moving his limbs somewhat. He is not on life support anymore, so that is a good thing.”

Roberts’ other sons, Marcus, Malcolm and Cory, and his wife, Wanda, are keeping a close vigil at the hospital, Troy Robers said. They are joined in spirit by Roberts’ courthouse family, many of whom inquired about him Monday morning."

Now you guys know why I love him so much. Mike's got a hard road ahead of him, but we'll be here to help him every step of the way. Send as much mojo as you can friends, he's gonna need it.