Two weeks before the heart attack, Tom paddle-boarded five miles in the ocean and hiked twelve miles with 3,000 feet of vertical climb in 90-degree heat in the Los Trancos Open Space Preserve with his girlfriend Natali. His running times…

For two years before the heart attack, Tom experienced sporadic, subtle chest pain to the right of his heart. The pain wasn’t noticeable during rigorous exercise but was persistent enough to mention to his primary care provider at every visit.

After Natali (a cath lab nurse) insisted, Tom’s friend Carmelo, a chief cardiologist at Duke, scheduled comprehensive testing including a nuclear stress test in Raleigh. It was scheduled for just days later—but it would be too late.

Despite ongoing concerns, a myriad of tests were administered: chest X-rays, swallowing tests, stress tests, numerous EKGs, and an MRI. Tom was repeatedly told his heart was fine and to continue with his fanatical fitness routine.