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Detroit Free Press Marathon runner who suffered heart attack, thanks DMC for life-saving help

By Camille Amiri and David Komer
Published  October 23, 2024 6:46pm EDT
Good News Only
FOX 2 Detroit

Man who survived heart attack running Detroit Free Press Marathon thanks his doctors

With just two miles to go, Patrick Vanderbush had a heart attack and collapsed. He was rushed to the Detroit Medical Center - where a medical team worked to save his life.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Patrick Vanderbush is both a marathon runner - and a heart attack survivor.

Vanderbush was running the Detroit Free Press Marathon on Sunday, but never made it to the finish line.

"And with two miles left, looking at my watch and just comforting myself, saying 'I’m right where I want to be, I have an easy two miles left - and in less than an hour - I’ll be celebrating my 60th birthday with my family,'" he said.

And that’s the last thing he remembers.

"Everything that happened beyond that point is a complete mystery," he said. "The next thing I remember, I was lying on my back opening my eyes, looking at the ceiling of the fifth floor of the DMC."

With just two miles to go, Vanderbush had a heart attack and collapsed. He was rushed to the Detroit Medical Center - where a medical team worked to save his life.

"He was threatening to have another heart attack on the table," said Dr. Amged Abdelaziz. "While we were working, he kept going into arrhythmia on the table so we really had to be really quick and open the artery as soon as we can."

On Wednesday, the Van Buren County man met with his doctors to express his gratitude.

"I'd like to say it was an amazing feeling that I’m infinitely grateful," he said. "It just doesn’t seem like it really scratches the surface of what I want to convey."

The 13-time marathon runner is in good spirits.

"I have a pair of new stents thank you - I did get to see an ultra sound of my two new additions," he quipped. "They are 'Windsor' and 'Ambassador' but don’t tell them I don’t know which is which - they look pretty similar to me."

And before he said his goodbyes to hospital staff, he received a surprise.

"I know with every runner they train hard and they get to experience something less than 1% of the population gets to experience in the world," said Aaron Belthoven, the marathon race director. "So with that, Patrick, I would love to give to you your finishing medal."

Patrick Vanderbush. Inset: Photo courtesy of the Detroit Free Press.