Houston heart attack survivor says he glimpsed heaven

HOUSTON - After a man suffered a near-death experience from a massive heart attack, he had an out-of-body experience that changed his life forever.

Man suffers massive heart attack

The backstory:

Christopher "Bull" Blankenship experienced a massive heart attack while working in Mont Belvieu, Texas, in January. He felt severe pain between his shoulder blades before collapsing. Despite the terrifying ordeal, he managed to call for help and was transported via Life Flight to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center.

Dr. Brittany Owen with UT Physicians and her team performed an emergency procedure to repair his heart. Bull had to stay awake during the procedure due to the severity of his condition.

Big picture view:

Bull's story is a testament to the expertise and dedication of medical teams at Memorial Hermann and UT Physicians in Houston. It also serves as a cautionary tale for people who smoke.

Bull's sudden collapse was a result of clogged arteries, which his doctor attributes to smoking. He says he started smoking and vaping a lot more, the year before, when his brother died. He quit smoking to better his health.

Why you should care:

Bull's story is a powerful reminder of the dangers of smoking and the importance of heart health. His experience also highlights the incredible work of medical professionals in emergency situations. It's also an awareness campaign that doctors are seeing younger people, in their 40's, like Bull, suffer from heart attacks.

His experience underscores the importance of lifestyle choices in maintaining heart health. It also illustrates the potential for profound personal transformation following life-threatening events.

What's next:

Bull quit smoking cold turkey following his heart attack and has undergone another procedure to open a second clogged artery. He continues to recover and reflect on his life-changing experience.

Bull describes out-of-body experience

What they're saying:

"I had an out-of-body experience for sure. There is no denying it! I disconnected from my body but didn't go all the way. I chose to fight," Bull shares.

"He was a trooper - he was in and out because his heart rate kept dropping. I was talking to him the whole time, and I was like, 'Hey, stick with me. I just need a few minutes, and I will be in there and get it fixed, and I'll get out.' I think it took me 10 minutes, but by the time he got into the lab to when I finally got his artery back open. So, I just worked as fast as I could. I was like, 'Just bear with me,'" recalls Dr. Owen.

"I could feel everything!  I could feel movement through my chest. I remember looking over at the screen and I could see where they were in my heart and see what they were doing. It was like a movie but I'm living it - very strange feeling," says Bull.

Thinking about that peaceful moment he experienced is calming for him though.

"I obviously don't wish for anyone to go through this but wish they'd have a little feel of what I experienced - once you have it - there's no turning back. There's nothing earthly you could get that feeling from. I didn't have to go all the way to Heaven and knowing there is something out there - there's no doubt! I felt it. I touched it. I was there," describes Bull.

The importance of heart health

By the numbers:

According to the Centers for Disease Control:

• Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S.
• Every year, about 805,000 people in the United States suffer a heart attack. (605,000 are a first heart attack, and 200,000 people have suffered multiple ones)
• About 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent, meaning the patient doesn't know they suffered one, but their heart is damaged from it.

What you can do:

Doctors say if you smoke, consider quitting and adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. Regular check-ups and awareness of heart attack symptoms can be crucial in preventing similar incidents. Those symptoms vary from person-to-person but can include shoulder blade pain (like Bull experienced), pain or pressure in the chest or upper body, dizziness, sweat, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, jaw or neck pain. It's important to seek immediate help for suspicion of a heart attack.  

Dig deeper:

For more information on heart health and smoking cessation, visit the American Heart Association's website at https://www.heart.org

You can also go to: https://memorialhermann.org/services/specialties/heart-and-vascular

https://www.utphysicians.com/heart-and-vascular-care

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