Handyman Returns to His Passion After Surviving a Heart Attack

Juan Sosa is a veteran, father, and retired carpenter from Brandon, FL. Juan, who was 58 at the time, contracted COVID-19 and was in quarantine when he began experiencing chest pain. When the pain became severe, he went to the emergency room at a nearby hospital. Tests revealed Juan was having a massive heart attack and he was transferred by ambulance to a hospital in Tampa, FL, for escalated care. 

Juan arrived at the hospital in cardiac arrest and was brought to the catherization laboratory as clinicians performed CPR and shocked him with an automated external defibrillator (AED). During the 20 minutes of CPR, Dr. Hoshedar Tamboli removed a blood clot and placed a stent in his right coronary artery. He then inserted Impella CP® with SmartAssist® heart pump to allow Juan’s heart to rest and recover. Days later, Juan’s heart function dramatically improved and Impella® was removed. Two weeks later, Juan returned home with his own heart. 

Today, Juan is enjoying life with his wife, Sandra, and three grandchildren. He looks forward to resuming his exercise routine and spending more time with his family.