Just days after celebrating Thanksgiving, 73-year-old Rutherfordton resident Joe Frady experienced the unthinkable: a major heart attack, known as a STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction). Thanks to the fast action and expert care at Rutherford Regional Health System (RRHS), Joe is now thriving—and sharing his story to encourage others to take their heart health seriously and trust their local hospital team.

A longtime gym-goer and self-described active retiree, Joe had no reason to suspect heart trouble. “I work out five days a week and had no symptoms,” he said. “I never thought a heart attack could happen to me.” But on the Monday after Thanksgiving, just 30 minutes after returning home from the gym, he began experiencing intense chest pain—what he described as “like an elephant standing on my chest.”

Unable to get an immediate appointment with his primary care doctor, Joe took matters into his own hands and drove himself to RRHS. From the moment he walked in, he says the care was immediate and seamless. “They took my name and date of birth, and I was back there in seconds. The whole team was waiting for me—including Dr. Hearon.”

Joe recalls how quickly and confidently the team sprang into action, comparing their coordination to a NASCAR pit crew. After an EKG confirmed he was actively having a heart attack, Dr. Hearon calmly explained the procedure and began treatment. A 95% blockage was discovered in one of Joe’s coronary arteries, and a stent was placed using a minimally invasive radial approach through his wrist.

“The entire procedure took about an hour and a half, and the next day I was home,” Joe said. “Two days later, I could hardly believe I’d had a heart attack at all.”

Joe’s follow-up care included cardiac rehabilitation at RRHS, where he made excellent progress. He specifically praised the professionalism and compassion of RRHS team members, including Dr. Hearon, nurse practitioner Tara England, Heather in Cardiac Rehab, and a nurse from the first-shift post-op unit. “Everybody did their job, and they did it well. I can’t imagine going to any other hospital.”

Though Joe had previously visited RRHS for other health issues, he had no idea advanced cardiac procedures like his were offered locally. “I feel lucky. If they hadn’t been so close, or the team hadn’t been so good, who knows if I’d still be here.”

Born in McDowell County and raised in Asheville, Joe moved to Rutherfordton in 2021 after a successful career in hydraulic design, much of it tied to major tobacco companies around the world. Now retired, he says he’s deeply grateful for the high-quality care he received right in his own backyard.

“For anyone local who needs this kind of care—don’t think twice,” Joe said. “Rutherford Regional is where you want to be.”