First-in-county cardiac innovation helps save local man

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — What began as an ordinary morning for Bob Werner quickly turned into a medical emergency.

Werner, 60, of New Smyrna Beach, had just finished his usual routine — exercise, breakfast and getting ready for the day — when he suddenly felt lightheaded and collapsed beside his bed.

“I woke up on the floor and felt nauseous,” Werner said. “I didn’t think it was serious, but my wife insisted we go to the hospital. Looking back, that decision saved my life.”

Within minutes of arriving at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach, Werner’s heart rhythm became unstable and repeatedly stopped pumping blood effectively. Over the course of the day, medical teams performed nearly 25 minutes of chest compressions and delivered more than 100 defibrillator shocks to restore circulation and stabilize him.

Doctors determined that a lead in the pacemaker with a built-in defibrillator he had received more than a decade ago to regulate his heartbeat had fractured.

“When the device stopped working, his heart would stop,” said Dr. Keniel Pierre, an interventional and structural cardiologist at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach. “Each time that happened, the team had to act immediately to keep blood flowing to his brain and vital organs.”

Werner was stabilized in the emergency department and transferred to the cardiac catheterization lab, where Pierre implanted a temporary pacemaker.

Once stable, Dr. Surya Rao, an invasive cardiologist at AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach, replaced the damaged lead using the newest and smallest defibrillator lead technology available. The procedure marked the first time the Medtronic OmniaSecure™ lead had been used in Volusia County.

The thinner and stronger lead is designed to reduce the risk of future complications.

“Being able to implant this technology here meant we didn’t have to transfer him to another hospital to complete his care,” Rao said.

While clinicians worked to stabilize Werner, team members remained with his wife throughout the day.

“They cared for her just as much as they cared for me,” Werner said. “People prayed with her. They hugged her.”

Werner, who has long been active in New Smyrna Beach and serves on several local community boards, said he considers himself active and health-conscious, which made the experience especially unexpected.

“I think we take our hearts and our bodies for granted,” he said. “I’m here because my wife convinced me to come in — and because a whole team fought for me. I’m incredibly grateful.”

Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in Volusia County, particularly among adults 65 and older, making access to advanced cardiac care increasingly important in the region.

Just weeks before Werner’s emergency, the AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach Foundation presented a $400,000 philanthropic investment to expand the hospital’s cardiac care program.

“Our Foundation and donors made this possible,” said Dr. Dennis Hernandez, president and CEO of AdventHealth New Smyrna Beach. “Because of their generosity, when someone in our community faces a sudden cardiac emergency, like Bob did, we’re able to offer advanced treatment right here when it’s needed most.”

Rao said heart disease does not always present dramatically.

“Heart disease doesn’t always look dramatic,” Rao said. “It can show up as shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, nausea, sweating or discomfort in the chest, jaw or arm. If something changes or feels off, don’t ignore it.”

Werner is now recovering and reflecting on the day he nearly lost his life.

“They were fighting for me,” he said. “It was the hardest day of my life — but they never gave up.”