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She Wasn’t Supposed to Be on 31 That Day. Then She Stopped to Help a Stranger

Issue #821

September 21, 2026

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌤️ Columbia’s Tuesday Weather - Partly sunny w/ high of 81, low of 66

⭐️ She Wasn’t Supposed to Be on 31 That Day. Then She Stopped to Help a Stranger

👉 9/24: Free Wedding Expo at The Mulehouse

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

She Wasn’t Supposed to Be on 31 That Day. Then She Stopped to Help a Stranger

Donnie Barnett after his surgery in 2025 and the family at Christmas.

What’s Up Columbia reader Lisa Lanier Barnett shared this story with us, and it’s one of those local stories you just have to read!

In 2025, my husband, Donnie Barnett, had a heart ejection fraction of about 10%. 

TriStar Centenntial put in an LVAD (left ventricular assist device) to help his heart pump. A drive line exits through his abdomen attached to a control box that runs the pump. That control box has an average battery life of only 15 minutes. So, there are two external batteries that last an average of 20 hours.  Once they get low, they start beeping. 

Once they start beeping, you have an average of 45 minutes to replace them.  

In the classes, we were instructed to never go anywhere without a spare control box and batteries.  

On August 18th, I had to take my husband to get some blood work in Spring Hill after the four semi truck crash on I-65, so traffic was horrible. 

I forgot to change his batteries before we left and forgot to bring the spares. 

We walked in for the blood draw and they were closed. I walked over to the ER to see if they could draw his blood and his batteries started beeping to remind us to change them. 

From that point, in my mind, he had around 45 minutes before the pump would shut down.

Neither Tri Star ER, nor Maury Regional are equipped with LVAD equipment and also told us ambulances would not be either.  

I called our daughter, who lives with us in Mt. Pleasant to grab his spares and head toward us and meet us at the end of Greens Mill Rd. We headed down Kedron Rd toward Greens Mill to try to avoid the south bound traffic on 31. 

Lo and behold, there was an issue at the red-light to Greens Mill. Traffic was so backed up. I called our daughter to head down Greens Mill. She said the truck stopped in the middle of 31 at Lookout drive and she was bawling her eyes out.  

A lady, that on any given day would not have been coming up 31 at that time of day and who does not stop for strangers, saw a girl in a truck bawling her eyes out and stopped to help.  

Shana told her that her daddy needed the batteries to keep his heart beating and asked her if she would meet us on Greens Mill Road to give us his batteries. 

That is exactly what Colette Conis-Slagle did for people she had never met in her life.   

She met us on Greens Mill with the batteries. His alarm had been going off 45 minutes and 23 seconds. I bet she didn’t wake up that morning dreaming she would literally save a man's life.  

But that is just what she did.  

We will forever remember her and thank her for listening to God's urging her out of her comfort zone to help a girl she did not know save a man she did not know. 

There were also some heroes that helped our daughter push the stalled truck off of a packed HWY 31. We did not get their names, but are so grateful to them as well.  Hopefully, they will see this and reach out to us.

Hats off to Colette Conis-Slagle and the others that lended a helping hand when it was needed the most. We love hearing stories like this that shine a light on people doing good in our community. If you’ve got one, just let us know!

9/24: Free Wedding Expo at The Mulehouse

FREE EVENT!

Tour our stunning venue while enjoying curated tastings, signature cocktails, and live music. Meet some of our favorite wedding professionals — from florists and caterers to dessert designers and event creatives — all ready to help bring your vision to life.

Take a private tour of our event spaces, connect with trusted vendors, enter exclusive giveaways, and discover how we can create your dream wedding — all in one unforgettable afternoon.

Enter for your chance to win a Grand Prize Giveaway, valued at up to $10,000, including 50% off venue rental and more! (Must be present to win.)

September 24, 4-6 PM
812 S. High St.

Please RSVP at the link here and we’ll look forward to seeing you!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Tuesday, September 22nd

Wednesday, September 23rd

  • Vet2Vet Meet Up at Twisted Copper Brewing Company - 5:30 - 7:00 PM

Thursday, September 24th

Friday, September 25th - “Dolly Day!” Find special events in Nashville here

Saturday, September 26th

Sunday, September 20th

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Tuesday, September 22
Songwriters Round - Whiskey Alley Saloon, 6-9 PM

Thursday, September 24
Todd Ciprian - Tito's, 6-9 PM
Justine Blanchet - Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30-9 PM

Friday, September 25
TBA - The Spot: Burgers & Beer, 5-8 PM
Golden Soul Revue - Buck & Board, 6-9 PM
Bayou Blues Jam - Southern Bayou Kitchen, 7 PM
Hit Songwriter Show - The Mulehouse, 7:30 PM
Zachariah Smith - Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30-9 PM
Austin Byrd - Puckett's, 7:30-9 PM
Brandon Bartley - Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Saturday, September 26
The Vineyard Sessions - Natchez Hills Vineyard, 2-5 PM
Crossbridges - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 3-7 PM
Boomerang - Corner of Woodland & E 7th St, 3-5 PM
Mustard & Biscuits - Grinder's Switch Winery, 5-7 PM
Box of Rox - Corner of Woodland & E 7th St, 6-8 PM
Rob Roscoe and Larkin & Leigh - 2-3 Pleasant St, 6-9 PM
Johnny Jameson & The Empty Pints - McCreary's Irish Pub & Eatery, 7-9 PM
Un-Redacted + Colonsay - 104 East St, 7:30 PM
Song Writers Round - The Bourbon Gospel, 7:30 PM
Real Deal Band - The Rebel Bar & Grill, 7:30 PM
Radio Farm - Puckett's, 7:30-9 PM
Hippies & Cowboys - The Mulehouse, 8 PM
Six String Revolver - The Boondox, 8 PM
Vintage Voltage - Fozzy's Bar & Grill, 8-11 PM

Sunday, September 27
Phillips Music - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 1-5 PM

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