Danny Fanning lives for a thrill. A volunteer firefighter from 1975 to 2002, drummer for a local band and a motorcyclist and drag racer for much of his life, Danny loves whatever revs up his adrenaline and sends his heart pounding.

Energy Levels from High to Low

In early January 2016, his high-energy lifestyle screeched to a halt as Danny began to experience shortness of breath, low stamina and chest pressure.

“I wasn’t in pain. It was like the feeling of outdoor cold weather when you try to take a deep breath. It sorta hurts, but it’s more like feeling badly.”

At the time, Danny was an equipment manager/garage supervisor for the City of Raleigh. He felt well when resting, but while working, he’d experience these symptoms.

On January 18, 2016, Danny was off for MLK Holiday. He’d experienced symptoms over the weekend, so he decided he needed to get checked out.

He called his primary care provider and received a same-day appointment. His provider performed an electrocardiogram (EKG) and work up.

“My neighbor was a cardiac nurse in intensive care. I decided that if the doctor determined there was anything going on with my heart, I’d ask her for a referral for a good cardiologist.”

A Heart Rush that Tests the Limits of the Human Heart

To Danny’s surprise, his primary care doctor had other plans.

Danny recalls, “He told me, ‘You’re either going to see a doctor immediately when you leave here, or I’m sending you by ambulance.”

Danny heeded his doctor’s warning and headed to WakeMed Heart & Vascular, where the cardiovascular testing team was expecting him. They performed a nuclear stress test and scheduled Danny for a cardiac catheterization.

In early February 2016, Danny was having an awake cardiac catheterization with mild sedation. The team had located three blocked arteries and were placing stents to restore normal blood flow.

“I was lying there and all of a sudden I felt unwell. The interventional cardiologist said, ‘Oh snap, a myocardial infarction.'”

Danny was having a heart attack as he lie on the table. They swiftly began to administer life-saving care. Danny’s nurse reassured him that he would be alright and that he was in the right place at the right time.

The Waiting Game

Once he was stable, the surgeon and cath lab team tried for just under an hour to open the main blocked artery, but his vessels were weak from the heart attack. The team decided to revisit the procedure at a later date after Danny’s condition was more stable. He was closely watched and medically managed until his next catheterization procedure could be performed. He also was scheduled to see WakeMed pulmonologist Darrin Hursey, MD, and WakeMed vascular surgeon Kirk Charles, MD, FACS, RPVI.

Dr. Hursey explains, “Pulmonologists frequently see patients with heart conditions since symptoms from heart and lung disease can be very similar and difficult to tell apart.  It is also common to have heart and lung problems at the same time, and it is important to treat both when present.”

While waiting, Danny endured the stress of a tree falling on his home during the winter ice storm of 2016. He also underwent two knee replacements.

“Going through that wait and these stressful experiences gave me a new understanding of how stress stresses the heart.”

Since Danny’s case was highly complex, he was referred to WakeMed’s interventional cardiologist at the time, Dr. Islam Othman, who opened his blocked arteries and placed stents successfully. His care team urged him to consider WakeMed Cardiac Rehab.

“I was a typical guy in that moment. I felt better, so I declined.”

Danny went back to work and retired in 2020 from both his career with the City of Raleigh and drag racing.

Heart Concerns Drive Him Back to the Cardiologist

In 2023, Danny once again began experiencing low energy and chest pain if he laughed or coughed. Recognizing the familiar symptoms, he visited his WakeMed cardiologist, the now retired Dr. John Kelly.

In April 2023, Dr. Kelly scheduled Danny for another cardiac catheterization. The team discovered he had pressure on the right side of his heart that could be addressed with medication management. Once again, they asked Danny if he’d consider WakeMed Cardiac Rehab. This time, Danny decided to think about it.

“When I got home, I talked with my wife, and she said, ‘Why don’t you just try it?'”

WakeMed Cardiac Rehab for the Win

Danny listened to his wife and had his first session at the Raleigh Campus location. To his surprise, he loved it. Danny enjoyed using the equipment and learning how to care for his heart, but most of all, he loved the camaraderie with the staff and Rob, a WakeMed Cardiac Rehab volunteer.

“WakeMed Cardiac Rehab is no slouch. They make you feel welcome and comfortable. They also work you pretty hard. I realized right away that they were really concerned about patients. They also connected me with a guy named Rob who could understand how I was feeling. He’d gone through the program and lost some weight. He was an inspiration to me. I really enjoyed the entire experience.”

Danny attended 36 sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from May 2023 to August 2023. His workout included the sitting elliptical, the walking track, several weight machines and strength training. And, his comprehensive team included exercise physiologists Bethany Yusiewicz, Ethan Diffenbaugh and Evan Bukowinski. His nurse team included Carol Freeman, Carrie Wilkerson and Robyn Walter. He received dietary instruction from dietitian Krista Kiger and was supported by clinical aide Tara Judge.

“As I got near the end, I asked my team if there was any way I could fail. I wanted to fail the program, so I could repeat it.”

Since retiring three years prior, Danny had become a self-proclaimed couch potato, spending much of his time watching videos on YouTube. While in the program, he’d lost 18 pounds and wanted to continue losing weight and connecting with others. The program made him feel more like himself again. The team told him that while he could not continue cardiac rehab, he could join Safeway to Fitness. Graduates of a cardiac rehab program, people recovering from certain procedures and adults who appreciate the security of knowing that a health professional is present are great candidates for Safeway to Fitness.

Danny also learned that Rob needed to stop volunteering. He’d been so inspired and supported by Rob’s honesty and connection, that he felt a strong call to carry on this volunteer role. Since Safeway to Fitness was Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, he could easily make this work by starting with his personal workout and transitioning into his volunteer role in WakeMed Cardiac Rehab.

Word traveled that Danny was interested in volunteering. Soon, Danny began arriving to his Safeway to Fitness program at 5:30 in the morning and switching to his volunteer role thereafter, ending his days at 8:30 am.

The Beat Goes On

Today, Danny is feeling great and has lost 30 pounds. He also has connected with many patients going through the program. He glows sharing his ability to connect with a variety of patients who may come in fearful, disconnected, unwell and even grumpy.

“When patients come in, I try to figure out right away how I can connect and encourage them to stick with the program. There was a time back in the day that heart issues meant you had to bow out of life, but cardiac rehab gives people their lives back. My dad had a valve replacement at a pretty young age and had to spend the rest of his life taking it easy. My brother died at 58 from a heart attack. Cardiac rehab helps give people a second chance at life.”

Today, Danny is back to playing the drums for his church with two friends — both named Danny. He has also resumed working on cars — though he’s stopped racing. He’s enjoying his life and feeling grateful for the chance to give back.

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About WakeMed Cardiac Rehab

WakeMed Cardiac Rehab offers a safe, monitored environment where you can gain the strength, confidence, camaraderie and nutritional know-how you need to live a heart-healthy life.

The WakeMed Cardiac Rehab specialists welcome patients who have or had:

• A recent heart attack
• Cardiac bypass surgery
• Angioplasty or stent placement
• Valve repair or replacement surgery
• A heart transplant
• Stable angina
• Heart failure

Patients with ventricular assist devices also benefit from our program.

About WakeMed Heart & Vascular

WakeMed Heart & Vascular physicians bring together expert cardiovascular, thoracic and vascular surgeons who are dedicated to delivering the highest level of cardiovascular care in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner and Clayton, N.C. For decades, these physicians have chosen to bring their talent and expertise to WakeMed for its reputation for excellence in cardiovascular care and commitment to providing the most exceptional patient experience.

About WakeMed Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine

Our expert pulmonologists are committed to providing patients exceptional, collaborative care and treatment for a wide range of respiratory and lung conditions with the goal of enhancing their patients’ respiratory health.

WakeMed Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine specialists provide management and services for many lung conditions.

About WakeMed Safeway to Fitness

WakeMed Safeway to Fitness is a supervised group exercise program for adults who would like a structured, safe exercise experience..

The Safeway to Fitness program includes:

• Comprehensive consultation focused on goal setting, modifying health risk factors and the individual’s exercise prescription
• Blood pressure and heart rate monitoring
• Group strengthening, conditioning and coordination exercises

About WakeMed Volunteer Services

It takes a special person to be a volunteer, and we’re glad that you’ve chosen to share your time and talents with the patients and staff at WakeMed. The time you spend here as a volunteer benefits the entire community. As a volunteer, your role is one of ambassador, liaison and educator for patients, families, visitors and the public.