Hi! I am Mike Mathis. In August 2017, at the age of 50, I had a “widow maker” heart attack and survived. Everything went right that day. From the decision to have my wife drive me to the hospital, to the ER Doctors and Staff not giving up on me, even after 40 minutes. I
I am a survivor. I am a 40-year-old mom of three boys, a hairless Chinese crested and black cat and at the age of 33, I suffered my first silent stroke. I was employed with an organization that presented extremely intense situations daily. While I loved my career greatly and especially adored my colleagues, I
I’m A Survivor It was April 11, 2009, a normal Saturday morning. I lived alone and had just gotten up to let my two dogs out. My brother worked close by on the weekends and he had just called me to ask a favor. I told him I would go brush my teeth then do
My name is Olivia Richardson and I am a two-time stroke survivor, former LVAD patient, and heart-transplant recipient. I was first diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and had my first stroke at the age of 25. This was a shock to me because I had always been an athlete and been healthy all my life. After my
The American Heart Association of Southern New England (AHA) is pleased to introduce the Heart2Heart Storytellers Class of 2020. The Heart2Heart Storytellers feature the stories of several local women across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, who have experienced heart disease and stroke, and are courageously sharing their journey to help other women. Each of these
9-year-old Survivor Spreads Heart Awareness on Ice Born with a congenital heart defect, Sammi Fagan spent most of her formative years in and out of the hospital. Fortunately, as she grew bigger, her heart got stronger. Now, she’s paying it forward and raising dollars and awareness so other families don’t face the same struggles her
How a furry friend helped me heal By Stacy Quinn, Guest Blogger Having a strong support system is important when you’re coping with the aftermath of a health crisis, especially the emotional ramifications. After my stroke, my appearance suggested I was just fine. But below the surface, I had stabbing eye and neck pain, blurry
The Boston Herald published a beautiful story this week about how a friendship developed between two men over a shared struggle with heart disease. The story focuses on Julius Johnson, 17, and Bouba Dieme, 32, who both have a ventricular assist device (VAD) called the HeartMate 3. This golf ball-sized mechanical pump is implanted into