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'Words With Friends' Game Saves Australian Man's Life (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post   First Posted: 01/13/2012 9:03 pm Updated: 02/ 3/2012 10:49 am

UPDATED Feb. 3: "The Doctors" arranged a surprise meeting for Beth Legler and the Fletchers on the TV show. Watch the video above for more.

* * *

When Beth Legler began playing the popular Scrabble-like mobile game Words With Friends with Georgie and Simon Fletcher from Queensland, Australia, little did she know, it would end up saving a man's life.

While playing the game, Georgie contacted Beth through the game's internal chat function to tell her that Simon was ill and described his symptoms, according to KCTV 5.

Luckily for Simon, Beth shared the information with her husband, Larry, who is a doctor. After hearing of the symptoms, Larry told Simon to head to a hospital immediately.

When he got to the hospital, doctors told Simon he had a 99 percent blockage near his heart and, had he not come to the hospital that day, he most likely would have died.

"He definitely saved my life," Simon Fletcher told Australia's Ten Queensland News. "I was days away from not being here."

Georgie, Simon's wife, also expressed her gratitude for the life-saving medical advice.

"It was almost like I was meant to, you know, pick Beth as a random opponent," Georgie told the station. "... She saved me from being a widow."

Though it may be the most inspirational, this isn't the first time the popular game has made headlines.

Last month, actor Alec Baldwin was booted off of an American airlines flight after he reportedly refused to stop playing the game during the plane's departure.

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UPDATED Feb. 3: "The Doctors" arranged a surprise meeting for Beth Legler and the Fletchers on the TV show. Watch the video above for more. * * * When Beth Legler began playing the popular Scra...
UPDATED Feb. 3: "The Doctors" arranged a surprise meeting for Beth Legler and the Fletchers on the TV show. Watch the video above for more. * * * When Beth Legler began playing the popular Scra...
 
 
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03:30 AM on 02/29/2012
Crazy! Perhaps I should increase number of friends I play with in case of any emergencies! ; )
I have tried playing with this game and its really cool and interesting..Me and my co workers love to play this game when our boss is not around..We also use the ANAGRAMMER to give us a clue in times we are having a hard time..
07:37 AM on 02/26/2012
This is cool.I use the IPHONE 5 just to play this game.. I play this everyday on my iPhone.Its so addicting and very fun..I use the ANAGRAMMER also so I can have some hints in times of trouble.
08:26 PM on 02/23/2012
God is always good even all of us are sinners..I love playing this game because I find it fun and knowledgeable..I use also ANAGRAMMER for best results..
11:58 PM on 02/13/2012
Good for them..God is always good for all of us even though we are sinners..Alexandros is right also she should call the doctor first rather than sharing it with your friends..Its okay to share but you should call the first one who could really give you help..

I love playing words with friends..I get glued on it. I use the ANAGRAMMER to give me some hint..
01:37 PM on 01/17/2012
AMAZING! That God has a PLAN for everyone. The key to the story is the Simon's life was SAVED because his wife was persistant and continued to talk to anyone who would listen that his health was not okay. Leave it to a husband to constantly say he is "fine". Angels are everyone and Beth and Larry CONGRATULATIONS for saving a life. I hope people read/watch this story and they too become aware of Heart Disease known for its SILENCE.
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Alexandros Koronakis
Director of New Europe, @akoronakis on twitter.
07:22 PM on 01/16/2012
If she was so worried, she should've called a doctor rather than share this kind of private information with a complete stranger.

That said - the more ways we have to solve problems, the better the world we live in is...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mr Anonymous
Mumpsimus, I am not entertained!
07:06 PM on 01/16/2012
So instead of calling a local hospital you're going to talk to someone through a scrabble chat option. I'm glad the person survived, but if they're that dense maybe they shouldn't have.
06:56 PM on 01/15/2012
Give the Beth and her husband the credit. They deserved it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
sensimilla
Lead with your heart, and your mind will follow...
02:42 PM on 01/15/2012
Had they not been playing the game...a simple phone call to a nurse could have provided the same diagnosis..
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LightShadow62
The answers are not found in the extremes
02:04 PM on 01/15/2012
A bit of a stretch to give credit to 'Words with Friends'.
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Mitchman57
I might be indecisive. But... maybe not.
01:59 PM on 01/15/2012
If they hadn't had their noses buried in this silly little game they might have interacted with a real live person instead and gotten to the hospital sooner.

By playing 'Words' they instead put off a timely diagnosis, endangering his life.

BTW, I'm addicted to it.
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MichaelMcKLA
I'm moving to Pandora.
02:21 AM on 01/15/2012
Great story, but really, telling someone virtually at random about medical symptoms is no way to get advice. Simon or Georgie should have contacted someone local and qualified. Simon just lucked out.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nowpolitics
President Obama 2012. obamaachievements.org
04:26 PM on 01/14/2012
Wordfeud has a better visual appeal. I am addicted.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mfa11e
Tell the truth ,regardless
08:45 AM on 01/14/2012
Hmmm ,what do I think of this story ,,well there's two words ,and the secord one is off
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Marc NL
47,3% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
04:09 PM on 01/16/2012
Don't be angry...bird.
06:00 AM on 01/14/2012
...OK I am sorry, but how exactly did the GAME save this mans life? Playing it connected two people, who otherwise would not have met; leading to this exchange. This does not mean that the game itself did anything, entering the words did not give anyone the solution to go to the hospital. Title should read "Playing words with friends game led to a mans life being saved".
...ugh so SICK of news titles that are sensationalist at best, flat out lies at worst!!
01:48 PM on 01/14/2012
I love pedantry, so much fun.