When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn: My Heart Attack Story
Last month, life as I knew it changed in a matter of hours. At 62, I joined a club I never expected to be part of—the "heart attack survivors" club.
Looking back, the signs were there. Unusual fatigue. Unexpected naps. Strange dreams. What I dismissed as acid reflux and stress was my body desperately trying to warn me that something was seriously wrong. But like many of us, I pushed through, focusing on work presentations and customer calls instead of listening to what my body was telling me.
Then came that Tuesday morning at 2:30am, when the pain in my left side, back, and arm became impossible to ignore. By 5am, I was asking my wife to drive me to the ER, still not comprehending what was happening.
"I had a heart attack? But that happens to other people, not to me..."
Hours later, I was in an ambulance with sirens blaring, being rushed to a cardiac hospital where doctors found a 100% blocked artery. One stent procedure later—followed by another the next day for a 78% blockage—I became the owner of two tiny metal devices that now keep blood flowing through my heart.
Just when I thought the worst was behind me, a second emergency visit happened while watching the Masters Tournament from my living room. Another ambulance ride. Another procedure. Another reminder of how fragile life can be.
Now, two weeks into recovery, I'm facing a new reality. As I often say these days, "My mind and body have not yet fully synced up." My mind believes I can do anything, but my body reminds me otherwise.
What strikes me most? Just days before my heart attack, I was riding my RZR alone in the backcountry. Had this happened then, miles from help with no cell coverage... I don't even want to complete that thought.
I've written a detailed account of this life-changing experience—the warning signs I missed, the procedures, the ICU stay, and the physical and emotional recovery process I'm still navigating.
If you think heart attacks only happen to "other people," or if you've ever dismissed chest pain as just indigestion, I invite you to read my full story. It might just save your life or someone you love.
Read the full complete story here
Because even if you feel fine, it's worth asking your doctor to check your heart risk factors. I wish I had.