At 39, Jason Shaw was the picture of health—an avid runner, fitness enthusiast, and leader of an outdoor workout group in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had completed seven marathons and recently signed a lease to open his own gym. Exercise was his daily ritual, and even on a day when he felt a stuffy nose and tightness in his chest, running seemed like the natural cure.
That May morning in 2021, Shaw dismissed his symptoms as side effects of a Covid-19 booster or seasonal allergies. Even as chest pain spread to his shoulder and jaw, he convinced himself it was indigestion. At an urgent care clinic, he reported breathing problems, and doctors diagnosed pneumonia, prescribing antibiotics. Hours later, he still felt the urge to run. But as soon as he jogged up a flight of stairs, the pain became unbearable. Checking his phone, he saw his symptoms matched those of a heart attack. Still in denial, he went home, cooked dinner, and ignored his discomfort—until he could no longer swallow his food.
His girlfriend, Megan Sanctorum, urged him to go to the emergency room, recognizing that something was seriously wrong. By the time he arrived, he was coughing up blood, and his lips were turning blue. Tests confirmed low oxygen levels, but an EKG showed no immediate signs of a cardiac event. It wasn’t until blood work revealed elevated troponin levels that doctors discovered two major blockages in his arteries, requiring a double bypass.
Two days before his scheduled surgery, Shaw suffered a second heart attack. As pain radiated through his chest, shoulder, and jaw, doctors administered nitroglycerine and rushed him into emergency surgery. The 12-hour open-heart procedure was a success, and his exceptional fitness helped him recover at record speed. Within three days, he was discharged, walking 1.5 miles to cardiac rehab just weeks later. In only three weeks, he was running 45 minutes on a treadmill.
Three years later, Shaw completed a half-marathon, pushing a man in a wheelchair the entire way. His experience reinforced his belief in fitness and heart health, not just for prevention but for recovery. His biggest lesson? Listen to your body and don’t ignore the signs. A heart attack is not something anyone can fight alone.
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