on PinterestPatient transporter Tommy Bell (pictured above) survived 3 heart attacks over 4 days, thanks to quick thinking — and care from colleagues at the hospital where he worked.
on PinterestPatient transporter Tommy Bell (pictured above) survived 3 heart attacks over 4 days, thanks to quick thinking — and care from colleagues at the hospital where he worked. Advent Health
- 62-year-old Tommy Bell survived three heart attacks in the span of four days.
- Bell received care at the same hospital where he has worked for 10 years.
- He is sharing his story to help raise awareness about heart attack symptoms and prevention.
On November 26, 2025, 62-year-old Tommy Bell had just finished a shift at AdventHealth DeLand Hospital, where he had worked for over 10 years as the Patient Transport Supervisor.
On his drive home while talking with his wife, Joi, he felt pressure in the center of his chest that persisted on and off. The feeling pushed him to drive back to AdventHealth’s ER department.
After doctors performed tests and imaging, Bell was scheduled for a cardiac procedure two days later, on Friday, November 28. During recovery in the hospital, Bell had a heart attack and received a stent to normalize blood flow.
Once stabilized, he was moved to intensive care to recover and was discharged home two days later.
“Prior to that day, I had never experienced anything like that before. The only symptoms of a heart attack that I knew of were what I had seen on TV—chest pain, pain down the arm, etcetera,” Bell told Healthline.
While recovering at home, he still didn’t feel right, and his wife took him back to the ER, where he went on to have a second and third heart attack on December 2, 2025.
Despite the trauma, Bell said it was reassuring to get care in a familiar place.
“Knowing that I was being cared for by the people that I see and make laugh on a daily basis made me feel at home. Just knowing the level of care and support of my co-workers was comforting in my time of need,” he said.
He knew every person who cared for him by name.
“Although it was strange being on the other side of things, I knew I was in good hands by the very best at what they do,” he said.
After two weeks off for recovery and to regain his strength, Bell returned to work.
“My recovery included being surrounded by my work family and my home family,” he said. “There was not a day that went by that someone from the hospital did not reach out to check in on me. The support was phenomenal!”
Raising awareness of heart attack symptoms that can be overlooked
Bell hopes that sharing his story will help spread awareness about the different heart attack symptoms and who may be at higher risk of recurrent cardiac events.
“I felt it on my heart to my story because if I can help save a life by reminding people to listen to their bodies, I have done what God has called me to do,” Bell said.
Janak Bhavsar, MD, an interventional cardiologist at AdventHealth, who was part of Bell’s care team, said that recurrent cardiac events like those Bell experienced can occur
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