Men's Health Week: Koro whose heart failed seven times calls for free echo cardiograms

In June 2020, Gary Cassidy drove himself to his local emergency department. As he called for help he lost consciousness because of heart failure. Cassidy had an undiagnosed genetic condition that would stop his heart six more times. Now recovering, the 55-year-old father of four and proud koro shared his story with Maryana Garcia for Men's Health Week, hoping his experiences would motivate more men to take their heart health seriously.

Gary "Gaz" Cassidy's heart stopped seven times in 2020. He has been fighting for his life ever since.

The cause was an undiagnosed genetic kind of cardiac ischemia that in Cassidy's case restricted the flow of oxygen through one artery by about 95 per cent.

But until Cassidy lost consciousness in Whakatāne Hospital's emergency department, he had no idea something was wrong.

"I surfed every day. I did jujitsu. I was doing CrossFit, getting decent numbers and really enjoying it."

Then one day in June, just after the first Covid-19 lockdown, Cassidy got a "monstrous surprise".

Gary Cassidy (right) and his wife Anita in 2019. Photo / Supplied

He was just finishing his regular after-work gym session when he "felt a bit funny in the chest".

"My trainer asked me if I was all right and I said it was a bit sore. I was lying.

"A heart attack is extremely painful. It was the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life."

As Cassidy made his way home across Whakatāne Bridge he could no longer ignore the pain in his chest and decided to drive himself to the emergency department.

"I made it to the hospital, walked into ED. I started saying I needed help."

Gary Cassidy's heart failed seven times, he shares his story for Men's Health Week. Photo / Andrew Warner

Cassidy didn't get a chance to finish his sentence.

"That was it. I went down."

He was later told he had suffered from what was known as a widowmaker's heart attack caused by a previously undiagnosed genetic condition.

"I had cardiac ischemia. [They told me] it was hereditary and had nothing to do with my lifestyle.

"The artery that supplied the oxygen to my body had narrowed by 95 per cent and it had probably been narrowing for about 10 years."

Cassidy was flown to Waikato Hospital where he had a stent installed to reopen the vital artery.

After the operation, Cassidy and his family thought the worst was over.

"I got back home, rang my boss and said I'd be back in a couple of weeks."

In the 72 hours after Gary Cassidy was flown to Waikato Hospital in July 2020 his heart stopped five times. Photo / Supplied

Cassidy had no way of knowing the next Saturday would make his first heart attack seem like nothing.

"My wife was lighting the fire in the lounge. I was in bed and I sneezed."

Cassidy does not remember any of what happened next.

He was unconscious when his neighbour, a nurse, performed chest compressions, while his wife and daughter looked on.

Cassidy did not feel his ribs and sternum break or feel paramedics pushing against the broken bones to continue CPR.

He did not wake up as another helicopter airlifted him to Waikato Hospital for the second time in a week.

Over the next 72 hours, Cassidy's heart stopped five times.

"I died five times."

On Cassidy's arrival at Waikato Hospital, doctors discovered medication used to treat the first heart attack caused a large bleed in his brain and emergency surgery was needed.

After the brain surgery, Cassidy was in a drug-induced coma for weeks.

"It got to the point where they asked my wife to choose.

"She could leave me on life support and I'd be severely incapacitated for the rest of my life or they could take me off life support and see if I fought.

Gary Cassidy (left) says he cannot go back to who he was but he feels lucky to spend time with his wife Anita. Photo / Supplied

"My wife knows me very, very well. She told them to take me off life support.

"The first thing I really remember was her face."

Cassidy left the hospital on July 27, 2020. He has not stopped fighting since.

"[The first] seven months were hell. I couldn't walk, talk or eat. I couldn't do anything."

But with support and treatment from Auckland University Professor Des Gorman, Dr Ted Clarke of the Auckland Heart Group and AUT exercise physiologist Matt Wood, Cassidy was able to make progress.

"I couldn't walk 20 metres to the letterbox when I first got home."

Cassidy made it back to the surf in December 2020.

"I took off on my first wave and my friends were there. It was like the whole beach lit up.

"I'll remember that for the rest of my life."

However, the journey to recovery is not over.

"On the inside, I'm still broken.

"The Gaz that existed before June 27 is dead and there's a new Gary here now who's very different."

Gary Cassidy is encouraging all men aged 50 and older to get their hearts checked. Photo / Andrew Warner

Cassidy has swapped his 180kg weights for an electric bike. He still goes surfing but his workouts are monitored via the Strava app by exercise physiologist Matt Wood.

His new job, as a general manager in a civil construction company, has fewer hours. A defibrillator - monitored by Tauranga Hospital - is implanted in his chest which he calls his "little friend".

Cassidy has also received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It's been the toughest," Cassidy said.

"Life is different now. It's like I'm learning to drive new wheels every day.

"I think I've only got one of these fights in me."

Cassidy said he was "extremely lucky" to be alive and to have more time with his wife, children and mokopuna.

"If I had had my heart checked, none of this would have happened.

"I would love to see every man who turns 50 get a free echo cardiogram."

Cassidy said he hoped men reading his story would get the necessary tests.

"Do it even though you're fit and healthy. Do it so that your mokopuna won't have to start calling anyone else their koro."

When should you talk to your GP about your heart health?

Heart Foundation food and nutrition chief advisor Dave Monro. Photo / Supplied

Heart Foundation chief adviser Dave Monro said more than 3700 men die of heart disease each year.

"It's the single biggest killer in New Zealand."

Monro said maintaining heart health was all about prevention.

"Talk to your family members to see if any problems are in your family history."

Monro said for men check-ups were also essential.

"Men from Māori, Pacific and South Asian backgrounds need to be getting checked once they hit 30.

"If you have risk factors in your family history then you should be getting your heart checked from the age of 35."

Monro said men with severe mental illnesses should get checked from 25 years old while European men should get checked from age 45 and older.

"There's an online tool called My Heart Check which is free. You should also think about seeing your doctor and getting the necessary checks."

University of Otago associate professor of physiology Dr Peter Jones said anyone who had concerns about their heart should have a conversation with their GP.

Jones said people who were reasonably fit but experiencing a decrease in their ability to exercise, an increase in fatigue or heart palpitations should bring these signs up with their doctor.

"It could be nothing," Jones said.

"But your doctor would be the best placed to help you find out."