Heart Surgeon Saves Long Island Man's Life Twice, Twenty Years Apart
MANHASSET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A 76-year-old Long Island man has credited his heart surgeon with saving his life twice, twenty years apart.
That surgeon delivered the retiree and his family some very good news.
Alexander Mullery was all smiles as he shook hands with his heart surgeon on Tuesday -- a doctor he's relied on to fix his broken heart more than once.
"I would say he not only saved my life once, he saved my life twice," Mullery told CBS2's Andrea Grymes.
Dr. Alan Hartman himself marvels at how his paths have crossed with Mullery and his family. It was twenty years ago that Dr. Hartman first performed emergency heart surgery.
"He underwent an aortic valve replacement," Dr. Hartman explained.
The first surgery worked for nearly two decades, but last summer an artery in Mullery's heart ruptured.
"I woke up early in the morning and I know how I usually feel, and I had this strange feeling in my chest," he said.
Mullery's condition was dire. Dr. Hartman ordered a medical helicopter to rush him to their heart hospital for what turned out to be life saving surgery.
"He's just getting back to normal activities. He's watched his weight, so he's actually in better shape than when he started," Dr. Hartman said.
Mullery now has the doctor's blessing to hit the links.
"Today we gave him final permission to resume golf, something he actively loves and wants to get back to," Dr. Hartman said.
Mullery's wife Lucy is relieved all went well, and delighted to have her husband back.
"He does pretty much everything he did before except shovel," she said.
Mullery's two sons Patrick and Thomas said they'll gladly shoulder the shoveling for their dad, although older brother Thomas is pulling rank.
"He's the younger one, he'll have to shovel," he said.
The Mullery's said it's all in the family now, once again, thanks to a surgeon's skillful tough a generation apart.
Doctors said Mullery is so fit, his prognosis for an even longer life is very good.
