Boynton man who suffered heart attack, stroke thanks crew that saved his life
BOYNTON BEACH — Annette Boyles woke up at 5 a.m. that day in May 2023 and knew that something was wrong.
Her husband, Kenny, 75, had not been feeling well for a week. When he woke her early that morning, his breathing wasn't right. He fell out of bed with weakness on the right side of his body.
"His phone was laying right there where we keep it," recalled Annette, 73. "I dialed 911 right away."
She was later told that Kenny had suffered a stroke and a heart attack at the same time, a rare double-medical incident.
First responders arrived to their home in Briny Breezes and quickly prepared Kenny for transportation to a hospital.
"Where do you want us to take him?" they asked.
Annette didn't know. As snowbirds, they had never needed to go to a hospital here in South Florida. So the Boynton Beach Fire Rescue crew selected Delray Medical Center, knowing that the facility had a comprehensive stroke center on-site, with hopes of getting Kenny the best care possible.
"The rest is history," she said.
The Palm Beach Health Network, Delray Medical's parent company, celebrated that performance at its January "Call of the Quarter," presenting the Boynton Beach first responders with plaques honoring their speed and professionalism that helped to save Kenny's life. The Boyles were present, as well as the Delray Medical staff.
The team that answered the call included Capt. Kevin Reddoch, Lt. Brian Jennings, Firefighter-Office of Emergency Services Adam Turey, Firefighter II Jonathan McMahon, Firefighter Kevin Duane and Firefighter/Paramedic Daniel Delahunty.
Today, Kenny can't quite say all the words he has on his mind, and he sports a cane, now. But by and large, he's healthy and has recovered from a situation that often ends tragically.
"Every time a patient shows up like that at the E.R., their risk to pass away is 40 to 50%," Dr. Dennys Reyes, the neurointerventionalist involved in Kenny's care, said at the gathering Jan. 13. "It's pretty high. So then, approximately 20% of patients do well."
Kenny is in that 20% category. His smile and gratitude toward the first responders and doctors was clear in an emotional reunion — this time under far more cheerful circumstances.
Despite the harrowing experience, the Boyles were more than happy to leave their home in West Virginia when given the chance to be present at Boynton Beach Fire Rescue as the first responders were recognized.
Fire Chief Hugh Bruder was present as his team was honored, appreciating a moment of celebration and good fortune in a job fraught with stress and the unknown.
"It's extremely special," Bruder said. "I've been doing this job for 45 years. And what I see is, the vast majority of times, patients don't even survive us taking them to the hospital. And it isn't because of lack of equipment. It's not because of lack of training. It's because sometimes things are meant to be the way they're meant to be."
Chief Bruder continued: "There's an old saying that says, 'You can be the best. You can get there faster than anybody else. You can treat the patient according to protocol. You can do everything right. And the patient still dies.' At the end of the day, we just go and we do the best that we can. The key for us, as an emergency response team, is trying to make a difference in someone's lives."
Kenny and Annette have been married for 52 years and glad to have each other as he continues to heal.
"We're 18 months out," Annette said. "It's been challenging. Our life is a whole lot different now. But we are a team. We started dating when we were very young, and our team will continue to get better."
While speaking to those on hand Jan. 13, Annette turned and addressed the team of first responders.
"My nursing background allows me to know how important you guys are," she said to them. "And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
Alex Peterman covers high school sports for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Heart attack, stroke victim thanks first responders who saved his life
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