Be Love Grateful His Heart Keeps Beating Thanks to Life-Saving Care
Kenneth Schwartz is deeply grateful for the vital care he received at Adventist Health White Memorial after undergoing the Watchman procedure in September 2024.
The Watchman is an implantable device that protects people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) from life-threatening strokes by sealing off a part of the heart where dangerous blood clots often form.
“A lot of the fears went away from me,” Schwartz said. “When you’ve watched yourself die, you take everything you get and each day as a gift from God.”
To understand why he’s so grateful, you need to know how his incredible story began.
Debbie and Kenneth Schwartz at Adventist Health White Memorial courtyard. (Debbie is a nurse at Adventist Health White Memorial).
A Near-Death Experience in Maui
In 2018, Schwartz’s life changed on a family vacation in Maui. While snorkeling, a violent wave slammed him into the rocky shoreline, leaving him paralyzed.
“I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t move,” Schwartz said. “I started breathing saltwater into my lungs and stomach, and within a few minutes, the curtains were closing.”
Suddenly, another wave hurled him into the rocks again, splitting his head open and fracturing his pelvis and lower back.
His family pulled him from the ocean, and his son-in-law, a Los Angeles County firefighter, performed the Heimlich maneuver — a technique that uses abdominal thrusts to force water or objects out of the airway — clearing the water from his lungs.
Schwartz spent a month in the hospital in Maui before returning to his home in Sun Valley, California.
Battling Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke
By 2023, Schwartz had developed congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AFib) as a result of the injuries. His heart rate would spike over 220 beats per minute, sending him to the hospital eight times.
Then, in early 2024, he suffered a small stroke caused by a small blood clot.
A Life-Saving Watchman Procedure
Dr. John McKenzie, Schwartz’s cardiologist at Adventist Health White Memorial, treated him for his AFib. After his stroke, they agreed he was an ideal candidate for the Watchman procedure.
On Sep. 4, 2024, McKenzie successfully performed the Watchman procedure.
When asked about the compassionate care he received from McKenzie and the entire Watchman team, Schwartz said, “I would go in a heartbeat at any time, for anything, because it was such a great experience.”
Thanks to the expert care at Adventist Health White Memorial, Schwartz is now embracing each day as a gift, grateful for the care he received.
Kenneth Schwartz’s story reminds us of the power of compassionate, life-saving care. The Adventist Health White Memorial Grateful Journeys Program offers patients and their families a meaningful way to express their thanks while supporting programs and innovations that help others in our community.
To learn more about how you can make an impact through the Grateful Journeys Program, contact us today.