My dad is my hero. Plain and simple. Always has been always will be. I look up to him for so many reasons. My dad was 1 of 4 kids and his father died of a massive heart attack at the the young age of 45. To say that they had it tough at times is an understatement. However, my grandma did everything she could to provide and helped pave the way for my dad to go to college. Long story short, he went to ECU, graduated with a BS in Business Administration, started a successful career for a good company, retired at the age of 53, only to start completely over with a new job. He is the definition of success to me! I knew when I graduated college I wanted to invest my time in to a company that I could see myself retiring from because I loved that he retired early and then started over again. He also gives great advice and has been my rock since the day I was born. Needless to say, I love my dad and he is my hero.
My dad is one of those people that I would consider a work out guru and a health freak. He is probably shaking his head if he reads this, but it's true. He loves to exercise. He is what I have always considered the definition of healthy. I have never ever worried about him a single day of my life...that is, until Monday June 10, 2013.
I will never forget that day. I was at work when one of my childhood friends that I work with asked me to walk with him outside. He then told me that dad had passed out while working out at the gym and was going to the hospital for further tests. I'm a panicker so I immediately asked if he was okay and Daniel said yes. They were just going to run some tests but he would drive me to the hospital. I thought that was a little odd if all he did was faint but I agreed to let him drive me. I called Crawford on the way and asked him if he could come to Wilson since I wasn't sure what was going on.
On the way to the hospital, Daniel calls his mom who is an ER nurse. I will never forget that call because I felt like he was talking in code. When he got off the phone, I started asking a hundred questions while also losing my breath (such a panicker and the exact reason I needed a driver). He told me that they were still running tests but that I needed to go to the family console room when I walked in. I'm no medical expert but I knew something was very VERY wrong when I heard those words. I started having a panic attack and somehow Daniel managed to calm me down.
When we got to the hospital, there were no parks so Daniel dropped me off. I walked in and went to the desk and I was surprisingly calm. I saw my nanny at the desk and I walked up just in time to hear her say "you have to let me back, he's had a heart attack." **Insert me LOSING it.** I lost it so badly in the middle of the waiting room the nurse quickly ushered me to the family console room and that is when I saw my mom. I remember seeing about 9 people in the room, mostly men, and they all turned their backs to me and were sobbing. I remember Daniels mom telling me that they were doing everything they can to save my dad but I had to pull myself together.
My mom then told me that dad had been working out at the gym when he just collapsed. He had suffered sudden cardiac arrest (not a heart attack) and was clinically dead for 5 minutes. Miraculously, 2 ER nurses were working out near him and immediately started CPR. They did CPR for 4 minutes until the ambulance arrived. They then shocked him twice before trying to shock him one last time. On the last shock, he gasped for air. God is GOOD! Once he came to, he became combative because he didn't know where he was. They had to medically sedate him and he stayed in that state for about 24 hours.
By the time news spread through Wilson and church, there were about 50 people that showed up at the ER. I find that incredible. We got to see dad for a few minutes and I will never forget that moment. He had a black eye from the fall and he honestly looked dead. He was intubated and that is when mom made the decision to have him transported to Wake Med.
When we got to Wake Med, he was starting to wake up. He was intubated so he couldn't really move but he started communicating with us by his hands. Mom stayed at the hospital for an entire 5 days, never once leaving him. They ran tons of tests and he did have one major artery that had a blockage but they were able to put a stint in. I read that only 5% of people survive cardiac arrest. That is astonishing. It is also crazy that it can hit any person at any time, no matter how healthy. Dad comes from a long history of heart problems and unfortunately, you can't escape heredity problems.
Dad was released from the hospital on Friday, 5 days after his cardiac arrest. He was practically a brand new person- minus the black eye. He has to limit his physical activity levels but he has not had any other issues. That week was by far the hardest week of my life. I saw first hand just how precious life and loved ones can be. We are never guaranteed another day. I fully credit God for saving my dads life that day.
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