Angel Gonzalez
"When I First Opened My Eyes in the Hospital, I Felt Like I Had Been Reborn"
Angel Gonzalez was driving near Broward Health Coral Springs when he felt discomfort in his chest. He pulled into the hospital's parking lot feeling dizzy and nauseous, and stumbled toward the Emergency Department clutching his chest. Angel barely made it through the ER's sliding glass doors when he spotted a nurse waiting to help him. That's when he collapsed.
Days later, Angel woke up in a hospital bed at Broward Health North where he was transferred in order to receive more in-depth cardiac care. He had suffered a massive heart attack and had undergone triple bypass surgery. “When I first opened my eyes in the hospital, I felt like I had been reborn,” said Angel, 47. “They gave me the best gift I could ever have. They saved my life.”
Angel spent a month in the hospital and made a full recovery. He’s grateful to be in good health and makes the most of his new lease on life by exercising regularly, watching his diet and following doctor’s orders. “These days, I feel like a champ,” he said.
Angel still gets teary-eyed when he describes how grateful he is for the caregivers who saved his life that day. He proudly shows the scar on his chest where he had open-heart surgery, a symbol of his survival. To show his appreciation, Angel and his daughter, Nicole, visit the ER at Broward Health Coral Springs every year on the anniversary of his heart attack to thank the team that came to his rescue.
To learn more about cardiac care at Broward Health, click below.