PLANO, Texas — Yon King, a retired airline attendant, never thought his near-death experience would happen suffering a heart attack and cardiac arrest while dining on quinoa in North Texas.

Yon King with Dr. Peterman

The health-conscious 55-year-old recently flew more than 1,000 miles from his North Carolina home after his recovery, to reunite with the care team at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano who helped save his life.

King’s high-quality treatment at Texas Health Plano involved an emergency cardiac catheterization procedure, a stent placement and critical care in the ICU. After 32 days in the hospital, King returned home.

“My first name means ‘God’s gracious gift,’ and after everything I endured, I know Jesus had his hand on me,” King said. “He put things in alignment and placed the necessary individuals and resources in my path. It was a blessing.”

The evening everything changed

King, a North Carolina native, had been surveying property for a potential move to North Texas when he had a heart attack, and also ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest, which happens when the heart’s lower chambers beat abnormally fast and no longer sustain proper blood flow, said Mark Peterman, M.D., an interventional cardiologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Plano.

Restaurant employees called 911, and paramedics arrived minutes later. After performing CPR and shocking King with an automated external defibrillator (AED), paramedics stabilized his pulse and transported him to Texas Health Plano.

“Mr. King’s situation was dire,” Peterman said. “Without emergency treatment, it could have been fatal.”

To reduce the risk of future ventricular fibrillation, King’s care team placed a stent in his damaged artery to restore blood flow. During his recovery, a severe case of pneumonia resulted in King spending 19 days on a ventilator in the ICU.

Unfortunately, pneumonia is common in such cases, affecting more than 60% of cardiac patients. The cause varies among patients, but factors can involve food accidentally entering the lungs, bruising from chest compressions during CPR, or even the body’s inflammatory response after a cardiac arrest.

“I couldn’t believe it when my doctors and nurses told me what happened,” King said. “I had a heart attack, I went into cardiac arrest, I developed pneumonia, but I still survived.”

The day he reunited with his care team

King credits his survival to his strong faith, his prayer warriors in North Carolina and the compassionate care he received at Texas Health Plano.

“This reunion was special, and I couldn’t wait to get back and thank everyone,” said King, who is still considering a move to North Texas. “From the paramedics to the nurses and doctors and just the people who entered my room while I was here, Texas Health Plano provided me with first-class service. I’m eternally grateful. Because of their actions, I can practice a servant attitude and share my testimony to help others for the rest of my life.”