Now he is attending a cardiac outreach course at Wairarapa Hospital where volunteers from the Heart Foundation help out.
At the course, people learn about the risk factors of cardiac events but for Mr Pedersen it has been more than that.
"It's being with people who have been through the same experience."
He said it was a traumatic experience that was hard to talk about.
"I actually stopped breathing three times."
Mr Pedersen said his doctor was surprised about his heart attack as he was fit and healthy - not the typical candidate for a heart attack.
"I thought I was the last person in the world to have one," he said.
The risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, poor diet, physical inactivity, weight and stress.
Mr Pedersen said his heart attack may have been related to stress. "It's a real lesson to all my friends."
Susan Carswell, a volunteer for the cardiac outreach course, said the course helps people in the lead-up to surgery and post surgery.
Wairarapa was lucky as GPs have a really good reputation for carrying out cardiovascular risk assessments, she said.
"[But] it can happen to anybody."
Kit Cohr, heart health advocate for the foundation's Wairarapa branch, said it worked on reducing risk factors, like poor nutrition and inactivity, in the community.
"We are trying to get people eating well on a limited budget," she said. "We've also managed to get Golden Shears to be a smoke-free event this year."
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in New Zealand with someone dying every 90 minutes.
Wairarapa's PHO, Compass Health, is running a campaign to increase the numbers of risk assessments and to encourage people to stop smoking.
Wairarapa District Health Board communications manager Jill Stringer said the number of eligible patients who have been identified and offered an assessment has risen from 75 per cent to 84 per cent while the campaign has been going.
The number of smokers given advice about quitting at their medical centre has also risen; from 63 per cent to 97.7 per cent.
The PHO runs a regular Healthy Lifestyle Programme which has been advertised publicly for the first time and now has over 60 registrations.
Donations
Donations to the Heart Foundation fund research, rehabilitation and provide heart health information.
They can be made today in Masterton at Mitre10 Mega from 9am to 1pm, The Warehouse 9am to 3pm, New World 9am to 3pm and also Pick A Lily in Carterton from 9 to 1.30pm.
Or text the word "Donate" to 933 to make a $3 donation.
If you would like to volunteer, call (06) 370 3890.
To check your risk of a cardiac event visit www.knowyournumbers.co.nz
