Andrea O’Connor* has been dealing with kidney stones since the 1990s, so she knows the sharp, stabbing pain all too well. That’s why when Andrea and her family moved from North Carolina to Central America in 2018, she took every precaution to prevent future kidney stones. She had a water purification system installed in their […]
Avid runner and extreme marathoner Bart Filipiak is a 46-year-old who can barely believe he’s had a heart condition for the past 15+ years. As a kid, Bart always knew he wanted to be an Air Force pilot. He earned his private pilot’s license by the time he graduated college and went on to join […]
Heather Pavese is no stranger to heart troubles. In 2012, she had a mechanical heart valve put in back due to an aortic aneurysm. Shortly after moving to North Carolina in 2018, Heather suffered a heart attack and recovered with the help of WakeMed’s care team and got connected with cardiologist Dr. Raj Fofaria for […]
Ruth Pearce has always been an avid exercise fan. Growing up as a tomboy, she was active and athletic. In her adult years, Ruth took aerobics classes for decades — she recalls working out to Michael Jackson in the 1980s. When she hit her 60s, some serious back and neck problems caused her to slow […]
At age 58, WakeMed physician assistant Ron Fazio, PA-C has had several exciting careers and lives his life with purpose. Following a few years in the NFL and a brief acting career, Ron has spent 14+ years working with WakeMed’s heart surgery team, helping many of our sickest patients live their lives to the fullest, […]
When it comes to heart disease, there’s no discrimination — and family history is one of the toughest risk factors to overcome. That’s why at age 45, a seemingly healthy Michael Blouin had a very shocking day that reminds us all of the importance of listening to our bodies. A Shocking Day It was May […]
Wes Harper is a survivor — in more ways than one. His journey with atrial fibrillation started in 2017, in a very unique way with no symptoms and none of the typical risk factors. As a huge fan of The Discovery Channel’s survivalist TV series called Naked & Afraid, Wes was awaiting his opportunity to […]
Fuquay-Varina native Sammy Smith has known since a young age that when it comes to heart health, the odds were not in his favor. His father, Leon Samuel Smith, suffered a major heart attack at age 25 and from then on, had numerous other heart problems, including the need for a valve replacement. Years later, […]
Two years ago, Tyler McLamb was a typical 3-year old boy – running around, playing and getting into absolutely everything. He spent his days doing what most toddlers do – running around and putting just about anything they can find in their mouths. In March 2019, Tyler started not feeling well with what seemingly appeared […]
*This article was re-printed from WakeMed Heart to Heart Magazine. Subscribe Today! An avid gardener, Johnny Johnson is a retired power lineman who is no stranger to heart disease. He’s been fighting it for more than 20 years – with several stents and a stroke already behind him. Earlier this year, his symptoms were just subtle enough […]
