CHARLOTTE — One local man knows all too well that heart attacks can happen to anyone. Fortunately, his wife is a physician’s assistant and knew exactly what to do when crisis struck.
“Just because you’re young and fit and healthy does not mean that heart disease cannot happen to you,” Brandon Whitfield told Channel 9’s Miana Massey.
Nearly a year ago, he went into sudden cardiac arrest at just 39 years old.
“I was eating carrot cake in bed watching the hockey playoffs, and in mid-conversation, I just started to slump over,” Brandon Whitfield said.
His wife, Angela Whitfield, said she thought he was joking at first.
“It took me about 5 or ten seconds to figure out that this was an emergency, and somehow by the grace of God, I jumped into action,” she said.
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Angela Whitfield was nine weeks pregnant at the time.
“In that moment, my life flashed before my eyes,” she said. “I thought I may be a widow.”
Frantically, she called 911 and immediately started CPR.
“You absolutely never ever think you are going to have to do CPR on your spouse,” she said.
Doctors say her quick response saved her husband’s life.
“It was nothing short of a miracle,” Brandon Whitfield said. “Everything lined up for her to be there. It was not my time.”
At Novant Health, he was diagnosed with a rare heart condition, and recovery meant major lifestyle changes.
“I had to be more mindful of what I ate,” he said. “I did cardiac therapy for three months outpatient.”
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States.
“Heart disease is much more common than I think people realize,” Dr. Philip Lee, a cardiologist at Novant Health, said. “Up to almost half of Americans have some form of heart disease, and it’s not necessarily just attributed to the elderly.”
Doctors say diet, weight management and exercise play a critical role in long-term health, and for Brandon Whitfield, it’s also about perspective.
“If you can do something today, do it today,” he said. “If you can tell your family you love them, do it.”
February is American Heart Month, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about cardiovascular health and encourage Americans to implement healthier lifestyle changes to lower the risk of heart disease.
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