Whangārei woman Trudy Hudson-Owen's life changed in 2018 when she had a sudden heart attack. Now, she and her family are adjusting to their new normal.
Six years ago, Whangārei mother of two Trudy Hudson-Owen was washing windows at home when she started to feel unwell.
Twenty minutes later she had no pulse.
Hudson-Owen is sharing her story to raise awareness for the Heart Foundation’s 2025 Big Heart Appeal today and tomorrow.
She said she was the “last person” you’d expect to suffer a heart attack.
Hudson-Owen was 41 at the time – fit and healthy, a daily runner and a gym regular.
Yet on a normal Sunday morning, Hudson-Owen started experiencing pain in her arms and what felt like indigestion.
She thought it might have been from cleaning the window so sat down for a short while.
Ten minutes later, Hudson-Owen had not improved and her husband insisted they head to Whangārei Hospital with their children, then aged 9 and 13.
Hudson-Owen said as they got closer, her arm pain started to multiply.
The “tightening” which she thought was indigestion worsened. She blacked out, and her body flopped on to her husband, who was driving.
Staff performed CPR on the ground right outside the emergency department doors.
“My heart had completely stopped.”
Hudson-Owen was in a critical condition and placed on life support.
Her family was told staff didn’t know if she would wake up or, if she did, whether she would be the same due to the amount of time she’d been without oxygen.
She was then transported to Auckland, where an angiogram was used to diagnose her with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (Scad).
Scad is a condition that occurs when a tear forms in the wall of a heart artery.
It slows or blocks blood flow to the heart – which can lead to a heart attack, heart rhythm problems or death.
Days after her heart attack, her arduous healing process began.
Even breathing was hard due to the after-effects of the CPR, which had resulted in hairline fractures on her ribs.
Hudson-Owen spent about three weeks in hospital before coming home, which she described as “terrifying” after being surrounded by medical help.
During that time, she was taking 36 tablets a day.
Hudson-Owen said she then joined cardiac rehabilitation classes.
“I was the youngest there by far, and it felt really weird.”
She was not allowed to drive for three months and felt vulnerable for a long time.
“I was nervous to go anywhere and do anything. We didn’t do a lot for the first year, and then as time sort of went on, you kind of get a little bit braver.”
She then attended the annual Scad information day in Auckland, run by the Heart Foundation, where her outlook changed.
“It gave me confidence that, ‘Okay I’m not going to die tomorrow’.”
She now stays fit and healthy through walking and bike riding and lifting light weights, but stays local due to her condition.
To be able to watch her kids grow and thrive has her feeling “really lucky”.
In a strange silver lining, genetic testing revealed she has Loeys-Dietz syndrome – a connective tissue disorder which was likely the cause of her heart attack.
“Our kids were tested, and my son is okay but my daughter has it too. So she is monitored with me as well.”
She said supporting the Heart Foundation enabled vital research into heart disease, which could happen to “anybody”.
“I think it could quite easily have gone another way. I would have missed out on so much.”
To donate, look out for the Big Heart Appeal street collectors today and Saturday. Visit heartfoundation.org.nz/donation.
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
CTE is diagnosed post-mortem, and is linked to repeated head trauma.