Quality Heart Care Saves Lives

When Manistee resident Colleen Tucker woke one warm morning in September 2013, she immediately knew something wasn’t right. “I remember feeling a bit clammy,” recalled Colleen. “Something was off, and I was very pale.”

Colleen, whose father passed away from a heart attack years ago, recognized the signs and made her way to Munson Healthcare Manistee Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Colleen still remembers the last thing she said as they entered through the Emergency Department doors: “I think I’m having a heart attack.” Then, she fell unconscious.

The Emergency Department team quickly got to work performing a series of lifesaving shocks to bring Colleen back to life and to stabilize her condition.

“I thought I was about to become a widower,” shared her husband, Bill. “No one is ready for that.”

Saving Colleen

After further examination, it was clear Colleen needed advanced heart care. She was transferred via ambulance to the Webber Heart Center at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.

“I don’t remember much of the ride itself,” said Colleen. “I just remember the shock from the paddles. They kept performing it over and over again, trying to keep me alive. They didn’t think I was going to make it.”

Colleen was rushed to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab upon her arrival and underwent immediate cardiac catheterization. This procedure is performed by inserting a catheter through a major blood vessel to diagnose and treat a range of cardiac conditions. For Colleen, doctors positioned the catheter to open a narrowed artery and restore blood and oxygen flow to the heart.

One day later, Colleen opened her eyes for the first time since the heart attack. The worst was now behind her.

“I couldn’t speak, but the nurses passed me a piece of paper and a pen to communicate,” recalled Colleen of that moment. “I wrote ‘Munson?’ and they nodded yes.”

Leaving a Legacy

Bill and Colleen Tucker have called Manistee home for over 30 years. After relocating from Detroit in 1993, Bill began taking courses at the local college and Colleen worked for a local school district. Colleen started a pottery business after her retirement in 2005 and continues to pursue this passion today.

The couple quickly grew fond of their new community and the northern Michigan lifestyle. Their love of this community and experience with Munson Healthcare made it a “no-brainer” to give back in a big way.

Together, Bill and Colleen committed a gift through their estate to support the Webber Heart Center and Traverse Heart & Vascular.

“We had, for years, been hearing about estate planning and were familiar with the idea,” said Bill. “The woman who handles our finances couldn’t emphasize enough the importance of having your will and trust intact, and after we met with a lawyer, we were able to easily map out our finances and divvy up our estate to the organizations that matter to us.”

The Webber Heart Center holds a special place in the Tuckers’ hearts for more than just Colleen’s experience: Bill also utilized cardiac care here when a routine checkup identified a leaky heart valve. This led Bill to open-heart surgery for an aortic valve replacement.

Bill had no symptoms or pain before his checkup. But had his condition gone undetected, he would have been at risk of congestive heart failure.

“They saved our lives, plain and simple,” said Bill. “What a better way to say thank you to Munson and all the places that deserve help.”

Today, Bill and Colleen are both back to doing what they love with the knowledge that, should the need arise, quality care is right around the corner.

Support Local Healthcare Today

To learn more about making a gift through your IRA, donor-advised fund, life insurance policy, estate plans, or other planned giving vehicle, please contact our Planned Giving team at legacy@mhc.net.

Donor support – in any amount – makes it possible for people like Colleen to receive the life-changing care they need. Thank you for your generosity!