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Article Category: PeopleCare

KevinCare

Surviving sudden cardiac death—and living life to the fullest

Published on January 24, 2023

Last updated 01:40 PM January 08, 2024

Doing good CPR is critical to save someone from cardiac arrest.

There aren’t many people out there who can say they survived cardiac arrest at 30. Kevin Miskewicz can.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 90% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die. Those who survive often have permanent neurological disabilities. But Kevin’s story has an incredibly fortunate ending, thanks to the highly coordinated work of his medical experts at Wellstar.

Recovering from cardiac arrest is something Kevin will never forget. It lives forever as a piece of his health history—one that includes a dedicated healthcare team—and his wife, who was the first to save his life.

There aren’t many people out there who can say they survived cardiac arrest at 30. Kevin can.

CPR to the rescue

Kevin woke up on Labor Day 2017 at 5:30 AM to take the dog out. Pausing to adjust the thermostat as he came in, he fell, knocking over a lamp.

He was in cardiac arrest.

With no symptoms and no known pre-existing condition, this was unexpected, but that didn’t stop his wife, Andrea, from jumping into action.

“If it weren’t for me knocking over a lamp when I passed out,” said Kevin, “she would have never woken up and saved my life.”

In addition to calling 911 and unlocking the door for the paramedics, Andrea performed CPR for 10 minutes.

“Kevin’s wife doing good CPR was critical,” said Dr. Arthur Reitman, the interventional cardiologist who was a vital part of Kevin’s treatment team at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. “More than five minutes of poor blood flow to the brain can result in permanent irreparable injury from which a patient is unable to recover.”

Coordinating multidisciplinary care to save a life

When paramedics arrived at Kevin’s home, he had no pulse and was not breathing. As the paramedics performed their lifesaving work, he technically died two times.

The ambulance took him to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, where he was initially assessed and treated by Dr. David Jacoboff. The interventional cardiologist implanted an intra-aortic balloon pump to stabilize him. Then, he transferred Kevin to Wellstar Kennestone for highly specialized heart care.

When Kevin arrived at Wellstar Kennestone by helicopter, his heart function wasn’t strong enough to support his body. Dr. Reitman and a team of doctors including a cardiologist, a pulmonologist and critical care doctors worked in tandem to put Kevin on an advanced life support system called veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Better known as VA-ECMO, it took the heart “offline” so it could heal. The technology removed unoxygenated blood from his body, oxygenated it and pumped it back in for the next three days.

“Very few places in the state—only four or five hospitals—have the technology and specialized training to put a patient on ECMO,” Dr. Reitman explained.

Kevin’s wife doing good CPR was critical. More than five minutes of poor blood flow to the brain can result in permanent irreparable injury from which a patient is unable to recover.

- Dr. Arthur Reitman

Interventional cardiologist, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center

Preventing sudden cardiac death in the future

Dr. Reitman worked closely with Dr. Rajnish Prasad, Wellstar medical director of cardiovascular critical care services and Dr. Bryan Piedad, Wellstar electrophysiologist, to decide which treatments would give Kevin the best life moving forward.

Despite an extensive workup, there is no known cause for Kevin’s cardiac arrest. And there’s a chance it could happen again. If there’s ever a “next time,” Kevin’s doctors want him to survive.

“A defibrillator is meant to protect the patient once they leave the hospital,” said Dr. Piedad, who implanted the device. “Because Kevin was so young, we elected to put in a subcutaneous defibrillator—it’s implanted around the heart rather than inside it.”

The defibrillator constantly reads and interprets Kevin’s heart rhythm, preventing a future episode of sudden cardiac death by shocking the heart muscle if needed.

Kevin continues to follow up with Dr. Piedad once a year to make sure everything is looking good, to get his defibrillator checked and occasionally replace the generator.

“Dr. Piedad is one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met!” Kevin said.

Kevin also initiates a weekly transmission of data between his defibrillator and the Wellstar electrophysiology device clinic to help the team monitor his heart.

Understanding the bigger picture

There still isn’t any link that doctors—at Wellstar and other healthcare facilities—can say caused Kevin’s cardiac arrest.

Cardiac disease is often exacerbated by certain risk factors like cholesterol, obesity or diabetes/insulin resistance syndrome—none of which Kevin has. A genetic disorder is another possibility.

“Many people believe there are genetic disorders that have not been discovered yet that may predispose patients to cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Piedad. “His genetic testing is negative, but it doesn’t detect what hasn’t been discovered.”

That’s why Kevin is extra careful with his own daughter. Born after Kevin’s cardiac arrest, she got her first annual EKG when she was just three weeks old.

 

Returning to life as normal

After two weeks in the hospital, including six days in a medically-induced coma and eight in the intensive care unit, Kevin was finally ready to go home.

“In walks Dr. Reitman,” Kevin remembered about discharge day, “and he said, ‘It’s nothing short of a miracle that you’re walking out of here!’ That stuck with me. I’m incredibly grateful for the care I received and the quality of care at Wellstar.”

Years later, Kevin said it feels like it never happened. He’s returned to doing what he loves most—traveling. The next big trip on the calendar is all for his little girl—their family of three is heading to Disney. Then, it's off to Europe for their next adventure.

“I remain extremely grateful that I’m here today,” Kevin said.

Learn more about our integrated and collaborative heart care program.

Tags

Bryan Thomas Piedad Arthur Brian Reitman Rajnish Prasad
David Jacoboff North Fulton Medical Center Kennestone Regional Medical Center PeopleCare Heart Care Pulmonary Care
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Runners take their mark on the track. Text reads XanderCare.

PeopleCare

XanderCare

Xander Garanzuay, a long-distance runner, never imagined his high school track meet would end with him being airlifted to the hospital. But when a discus struck him in the head, he suffered a depressed skull fracture and needed emergency surgery.

Thanks to the quick action and collaboration of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center's trauma and neurosurgery teams, Xander is now back to running. His story highlights the resilience of the human body, the strength of family and the impact of expert care.

A sudden accident

After finishing the 2-mile race at a track meet in Cartersville, Xander stayed to support his Woodstock High School teammates. When he was ready to go home, he texted his parents.

A few moments later, everything changed. While tossing a ball with his friend, Xander ran to retrieve it—just as a discus struck him in the head.

The discus hit Xander on the left side of his head with such force that he fell unconscious. Xander began seizing—his condition was critical. While his friend raced to notify their coaches, Kelly, Xander’s mom, had arrived to pick him up.

“I’m sitting out front texting Xander, ‘I’m here,’ when emergency vehicles start pulling up,” Kelly said. “Then my husband called—‘Xander’s been hit.’”

Kelly stayed with Xander as EMS evaluated him. “He was awake but not coherent,” she noted. They determined he would need to be airlifted to Wellstar Kennestone, a Level I Trauma Center.

Life-saving surgery

Xander was swiftly transported to Wellstar Kennestone, where the trauma team was ready to act. Upon arrival, Wellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. Phillip Parry assessed the severity of Xander’s injury: a depressed skull fracture causing seizures.

“The discus is a large weight—picture a five-pound Frisbee—that is flung through the air,” said Dr. Parry. “Thankfully, Xander’s skull protected his brain, but he essentially sustained a ballistic injury to the skull.”

The impact to the left side of Xander’s skull left him with a fixed-focus neurologic deficit. His right arm—his dominant arm—had no muscle strength, and his right leg was weak.

Dr. Parry performed an emergency craniotomy to remove the bone pressing on Xander’s brain. The surgery was successful, but the road ahead was uncertain.

“The biggest challenge wasn’t the surgery itself—this is something we do every day,” he said. “It was telling a 16-year-old and his mother that we didn’t know whether he would regain function in his dominant arm.”

Kelly had to trust in the care Xander was receiving. “You don’t know what you’re going to do in that situation. Nothing prepares you,” she said. “I had to have faith that he was in the right hands—and he truly was.”

Steady progress

The day after Xander’s surgery, Wellstar Kennestone’s physical and occupational therapy teams began working at his bedside to restore movement in his non-functioning arm and leg.

“You want to do everything you can to optimize the body’s ability to heal,” said Dr. Parry. “It was important that we provided that environment for him.”

Xander’s positive attitude and determination played a crucial role in regaining function. His dad, Xavier, was amazed by his son’s resilience.

“He was so proactive and driven to get better,” Xavier said. “It was inspiring to watch.”

Still, sometimes the reality of what happened sank in. “He woke up one night and said, ‘I could have died,’” his mom remembered. “I told him, ‘Yes, but you didn’t.’ He said, ‘God must have something really special planned for me.’”

Xander applied the same fortitude from running to each step of his healing. “Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy, but you can also be your biggest supporter,” he said. “If you don’t believe in yourself, how can anyone else believe in you?”

Care that made a difference

Xander spent six days at Wellstar Kennestone before being transferred to inpatient rehabilitation. The support from Wellstar’s care team made a lasting impact.

They were there for whatever we needed—compassionate and always listening to Xander’s needs,” Kelly said.

One night during his stay, Xander woke needing help to get to the restroom. When a nurse arrived, he suddenly began seizing. “I’ve never seen eight nurses in a room so quickly,” his mom recalled. “Everyone knew exactly what to do.”

One poignant moment came when Xander’s family had the discus—now a symbol of victory over his injury—signed by his care team.

“It’s rewarding as a physician to know that I played a small part in restoring his ability to use his arm again,” Dr. Parry reflected. “As a parent, I know the anxiety that comes with the uncertainty of neurologic recovery. To see Xander move his arms and legs again, as if nothing happened, is a relief that’s indescribable.”

The power of community

Xander’s recovery was supported not only by his family and Wellstar care team, but also by his school and community. After the accident, his track team dedicated the next meet to him, with “Run for Xander” wristbands and signs. A teammate also started a GoFundMe campaign, which raised nearly $13,000 to help with the family’s medical expenses.

“People from all over came together for Xander,” Xavier said. “Posts on his team’s Facebook page were shared with running clubs from Canada to Miami. We were blown away.”

Xander was especially touched by the support. “This whole experience showed me how much my family loves me,” he said. “Seeing my friends, teachers and even family from Texas come to help—it meant so much.”

A bright future

After two and a half weeks of inpatient rehabilitation, Xander transitioned to outpatient rehab and continued regular follow-ups with Dr. Parry at the Wellstar Neurosurgery clinic. “At each phase, he received the best possible care,” explained Dr. Parry. “That’s why he had such a great outcome.”

Today, Xander is almost fully recovered and back doing what he loves most—running. “Physically and mentally, he’s doing phenomenal,” Kelly said. “He has his own training program. I am so proud of him.”

Xander’s progress wouldn’t have been possible without the trauma care network that supported him every step of the way. “The benefit of the trauma network can’t be overstated,” Dr. Parry said. “It ensures people get the best possible outcome even on their worst day.”

With expert care and determination, Xander is ready for whatever comes next.

Learn more about Trauma Services and Neuro Care at Wellstar.

XanderCare collage
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Personalized Breast Care Close to Home at Wellstar North Fulton

By Wellstar Breast Surgeon Dr. Laura Pearson

I have never met a woman who enjoyed getting mammograms, including myself. They can be uncomfortable, awkward and anxiety-provoking—especially if you have had scares in the past or are at high risk for getting breast cancer.

There are so many additional resources for risk reduction and surveillance available that go hand-in-hand with mammograms. At Wellstar, reducing your risk and screening for cancer starts with a physical from your primary care doctor.

If you are at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin annual screening mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent screening. If something is detected on a mammogram, the Wellstar Comprehensive Breast Health Program has nurse navigators who will help arrange diagnostic imaging, biopsy procedures and referrals to breast specialists. If you are diagnosed with cancer, the compassionate and oncology-trained nurse navigators with Wellstar Cancer Care walk patients through diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and beyond.

If you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment and care will transition from our Comprehensive Breast Health Program to the Wellstar Cancer Care team. In Wellstar STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatment, we put you at the center of your care plan. In our STAT Clinic for Breast Cancer, the care team, including breast oncology nurse navigators, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, nutritionists and genetic counselors, will meet with you and your support system on the same day to formulate a treatment plan personalized to your specific cancer, as well as your personal and cultural needs. Patients are able to ask questions, make decisions and start treatment sooner, improving outcomes.

Many times, surgical intervention can be done as an outpatient procedure. We can also offer some people intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT—the option of doing their radiation treatment in the operating room at the same time as their lumpectomy, meaning they are able to avoid four to six weeks of radiation treatments. Any other interventions, such as chemotherapy or radiation, including our CyberKnife for treatments like targeted partial breast radiation therapy, are found in the cancer center on Wellstar North Fulton’s medical campus. We have physical therapists, social workers and palliative care specialists who are there for you if the need arises.

Your Wellstar care team can also help you reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Being overweight or obese or being a smoker can increase your risk. Patients at Wellstar have access to our Center for Best Health to assist in weight management. We also have smoking cessation programs and dietitians waiting to help you make healthier choices that can positively impact your health.

Wellstar provides more than healthcare, PeopleCare—working relentlessly to exceed national standards and our patients’ expectations while remembering the humanity of every patient. We are here for all the situations and stages of our patients’ lives by offering the tools and resources to be healthy and thrive. Wellstar clinicians live in the communities we serve. We must get physicals, mammograms and biopsies. We need help being our healthiest selves. We get sick and have family members who need compassionate care. PeopleCare means offering our patients world-class healthcare in the communities where they live and work.

Your care team can put your mammogram order in Wellstar MyChart to book online, or you can schedule by calling (678) 581-5900.

Visit wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare to learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton.

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A friendly image of Ray and Ellie

Highlights

Wellstar’s Atherton Place Honors 80 Years of Love and Service with Ray and Ellie Williams

Cheers and history intertwined on Friday, August 15, 2025, as Ray and Ellie Williams—both proud U.S. Navy veterans—marked an extraordinary milestone: their 80th wedding anniversary. Their remarkable love story began on one of the most pivotal days in American history, when Japan announced its surrender, bringing World War II to a close and ushering in a new era of peace.

Ray, now 101, served 21 years in the Navy, including during WWII and the Korean War. Ellie, who will turn 100 on August 31, proudly served in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) program, a pioneering initiative for women in the U.S. Navy Reserve. The two met in April of 1945 when Ray returned from the Pacific and was sent to the Navy headquarters in Gainesville, Ga., where Ellie worked in the administration office. They married after a whirlwind four-month courtship.

A friendly image of Ray and Ellie

The couple exchanged vows on August 15, 1945, the same day Japan announced its surrender, marking the beginning of peace and the end of a global conflict. Their wedding day, linked to V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day), has become a symbol of love, sacrifice and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Ray and Ellie remember their wedding day well. “It was a wonderful day,” said Ellie. “All the guys were celebrating that the war was over.”

“The mood in the nation was ultimate joy and relief,” said Ray. “And, of course, we had the personal joy of being newlyweds, so it was a double-joy for us.” 

Now residents of Wellstar’s Atherton Place, Ray and Ellie were among the honorees at a special ceremony on Friday, hosted by the community. The event, which also paid tribute to the many veterans who call Atherton Place home, brought together family, friends, fellow residents and Wellstar team members to celebrate not only the couple’s milestone, but also the legacy of service that defines the community.

The ceremony included a proclamation by Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin, who declared August 15, 2025, as “Ray and Ellie Williams Day.”

“Their commitment to each other is truly inspiring,” said Anita Perkins, manager of resident care at Atherton Place. “It’s an honor to care for them and to celebrate their incredible bond with our entire community.”

Located on the campus of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Atherton Place offers a vibrant and supportive environment for seniors, several of whom are veterans. The event highlighted the community’s commitment to honoring its residents’ lives and legacies.

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