From Team Member to Patient: One Man’s Unexpected Cardiac Emergency
February 14, 2025
For nearly a decade, Jim Young has dedicated his career to fundraising for Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center. As the executive director of the hospital’s foundation, he has worked to raise essential funding, including a million-dollar donation to modernize the Armellino Family Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. However, he never imagined that the very department he helped improve would one day save his life.
But on October 24, 2024, Jim found himself at the center of a medical emergency that changed his perspective from hospital team member to patient.
Jim’s day started like any other, with meetings and administrative tasks. But around 2 p.m., he began experiencing chest pain. At first, he tried to shrug it off, assuming it was nothing serious.
“I was definitely feeling some pain in different parts of my body,” says Jim, a father of two and husband of 25 years. “But when it got to my chest, I started thinking to myself it was something else.”
As the pain got worse, reality set in. He was already in the hospital. He figured walking down to the emergency department was a no-brainer. So that’s exactly what he did.
No Time to Waste
A quick electrocardiogram (EKG) confirmed the worst: Jim was having a life-threatening heart attack caused by a 100 percent blockage in his left anterior descending artery.
Heart attacks are an emergency that need immediate medical care. According to the American Heart Association, over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Nearly 250,000 of those are ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs), often called “widow-makers.” Each minute of delay can increase damage to the heart muscle and the risk of death.
“The EKG was very clear-cut,” says Devinder Singh, M.D., an interventional cardiologist at Southern Ocean, who was on call when Jim arrived in the emergency department. “We knew we had to move quickly.”
Within minutes, Jim was prepped for the cath lab.
“I’d been here nine years, working to make this place better,” Jim says. “And now, I was the patient.”
A Big Win
Dr. Singh and his team worked quickly to restore the blood flow to Jim’s heart. But the blockage, which had likely formed over several days, made the procedure more challenging.
“We had to use special wires and balloons to get through it,” Dr. Singh says. Eventually, he successfully placed a stent through Jim’s wrist.
As the artery reopened, the team in the cath lab began clapping and cheering. Jim, who was still awake during the procedure, remembers clearly hearing their excitement.
“I asked them, ‘I assume that’s a good thing?’ And they all said, ‘Yes, that’s exactly what we needed to see,’” he says.
Dr. Singh says that the moment felt especially exciting because cases like this can be very complex.
“Opening up a 100 percent blocked artery, especially one that had been blocked for a while, is not always straightforward,” he says. “So, when we saw the blood flow restored, it was a big win.”
A Close Call
Six days later, Jim was sent home with a temporary wearable cardiac defibrillator, a precautionary measure due to his weakened heart. This was a good thing because a few days later, he was jolted awake by an alarm from the device. It had detected a life-threatening heart rhythm and delivered a shock to correct it.
“He had gone into ventricular fibrillation, which is fatal if not treated immediately,” Dr. Singh says.
Jim was quickly taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where doctors put in a permanent defibrillator.
After his heart attack, Jim went to cardiac rehabilitation at Jersey Shore for a couple of months. His regimen now includes supervised exercise and eating healthier foods. His recovery has also been emotional.
“You wake up every day just grateful to be here,” he says. “I’ve got so much more to do—especially for my kids.”
Jim, who returned to work in early January, says this experience has been a full-circle moment—from fundraising for cardiac care to experiencing its life-saving power firsthand.
“I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for this hospital, this team and the generosity of donors,” he says. “I’ve always believed in what we do here. Now, I believe in it even more.”
Next Steps:
- Meet our source: Devinder Singh, M.D.
- Make an appointment with a primary care physician to schedule a screening for heart disease or call 800-822-8905.
- Learn more about heart care at Hackensack Meridian Health.
- Make a donation in support of Southern Ocean Medical Center at GiveHMH.org/SouthernOcean.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
