After being held at gunpoint in 2008, Tyrone Morris noticed that he was often short of breath and “didn’t feel right.” Shortly following the incident, he got the shock of his life when during a hospital visit, he was told that he had a failing heart.
“I just knew that I didn’t feel the way I should,” he said. “But I had no idea that my weird feelings was actually congestive heart failure.”
Tyrone’s story is not unlike millions of Americans living with heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, heart failure diagnoses are expected to triple by 2030. Almost 1 in 4 of those will be diagnosed with advanced heart failure – the stage where managing symptoms and traditional therapies no longer work – and will die within the first year.
Although heart failure is one of the leading causes of death in the US, in recent years it’s been found that more Black people are dying from the epidemic, often earlier in life.
In his thirties at the time of the diagnosis, Tyrone Morris refused to be
a statistic. In addition to changing his diet, the Milwaukee BBQ restaurant owner committed to a more active lifestyle and additional support from a heart pump.
“I never thought that my life would be normal again after the diagnosis but thanks to the HeartMate 3 heart pump, I haven’t missed a beat.”
According to Abbott, the HeartMate 3 pump utilizes technology known as Full MagLevTM (fully magnetically- levitated) Flow, which reduces trauma to the blood passing through the pump while improving flow. It essentially makes Tyrone’s heart beat again.
Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood through the body, driving up blood pressure within the heart and lungs, which can lead to shortness of breath, increased heart rate, and fatigue—symptoms that are often mistaken for a heart attack.
Yet unlike a heart attack, heart failure is a progressive condition that develops slowly but can become life-threatening in its later stages. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalizations for adults aged 65 or older. At least 300,000 people in the U.S. are considered to have advanced heart failure.
However, through the help of the HeartMate 3, Tyrone continues to
live life to the fullest.
“I want everyone who’s going through what I’ve been through to know that their life doesn’t have to be over because of their diagnosis,” he said. “They can be their full selves again.”
For more information about the HeartMate 3, visit www.HeartMate.com
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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