In January 2011, Sharon Bond’s life took a surprising turn.
While living in New York City, where the pace of life frequently reflects the unrelenting intensity of the city, Bond — a wife, mother, and as she put it, “friend to all” — nearly took her last breath. Having always been the epitome of health and vitality, she had no idea what was to come.
Destiny had plans for her.
“It was in 2011 that I had a heart attack,” Bond, now 61-years-old, told the Amsterdam News. “I had all of the signs and symptoms of someone who would be diagnosed with a heart attack, with heart disease (heart murmur), but it went untreated and undetected. One day I was home, and I had a heart attack — not knowing until I had gotten to the doctor’s office.”
The first heart attack
Bond remembered having back pain and muscle spasms while cleaning her home that chilly January morning. Every movement she made, including breathing, was excruciatingly painful, she said. She did something that most women do since she sensed something was off: She called a girlfriend.
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“Your girlfriends become doctors all of a sudden,” Bond said jokingly. “I was on the phone talking with her, and I was telling her that I wasn’t feeling well, and what was going on, and she and I were trying to figure it out.”
Bond and her friend were unable to figure out what was wrong. As soon as she hung up with her pal, Bond decided to call her chiropractor. On speaker, he was instructing her to complete certain tasks, but because Bond was unable to complete them, he ordered her to hang up the phone and call 911.
“I said okay, but I must have blacked out during that time, because the next thing I remember is the kids,” Bond said. “My daughter came (home) from school; my husband — they both came at the same time, and I was telling them that I wanted to go to urgent care, that I wasn’t feeling well … We walked to urgent care about three blocks from my house … I was trying to explain to them how I was feeling. I could barely even talk … the next thing you know, they said that I had to go to the emergency room. They called the ambulance, and they took me into the hospital and from that point on is when I was told I had a heart attack.”
Recovery and determination
Bond said her spirit remained intact in spite of the seriousness of her illness. She tackled her recuperation with the same resolve that had characterized her life. Bond found comfort in her trust in God, and the love and support of her loved ones during her suffering and uncertainty. She followed a rigorous routine of exercise, dietary adjustments, and medicine. Bond was committed to taking back her health and life.
Bond began to improve as the weeks passed. Her strength gradually returned, and she started to envision a moment when she could use her second lease on life to help others.
“I was home by myself (when the attack happened)… That could have been it. On that day in January, it just could have been it, and that’s all she wrote,” Bond said. “But it didn’t and the doctors over at Lenox Hill Hospital, they took care of me.”
Little did she know, however, that another challenge was just around the corner.
The second heart attack
Three weeks after her initial heart attack, just as Bond was beginning to regain her footing, she was struck down once more. This second heart attack was a cruel blow, coming at a time when hope and recovery had seemed within reach.
During this time, Bond was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, obstructing blood flow. The diagnosis explained the severity of her symptoms and the recurrent heart attacks. It was determined that surgery was necessary to alleviate the condition. The procedure involved shaving off some of the excess heart muscle to improve blood flow and prevent future complications.
“Once you know, once you learn that, then you can start going forward and find out your family history — find out if there’s heart disease in your family (history),” Bond said. “(When) I was told that I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — and that’s a big word, I was saying to myself ‘What is that?’”
Bond is one of eight siblings. Heart disease had skipped her seven other siblings. This revelation added another layer of complexity to her diagnosis, highlighting the unpredictable nature of genetic conditions. Despite this, Bond remained undeterred, determined to face her challenges head-on.
Life after the storm
Bond’s experience has raised awareness of the value of heart health maintenance and inspired others to put their health first and seek medical assistance when needed. She works tirelessly to raise awareness and support those affected by heart disease by establishing her own not-for-profit organization, The Heart Speaks Foundation.
“Take care of yourself so you can take care of others,” Bond said. “We’re not even making it to our 40s … this could be you, too. You need to take care of yourself spiritually, physically and mentally … Have a physical every year, see a specialist. Do your follow-up. If you’re feeling something that you’ve never felt before, don’t be scared to call 911. I’d rather walk in the door of a hospital any day and say, ‘Hey, my chest is hurting me,’ and then when I walk out, they say, ‘It was gas.’”
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