Former Ventnor, NJ Mayor Survives Near Fatal Heart Rhythm Event – wpgtalkradio.com
There can be no doubt that former Ventnor City, New Jersey Mayor Michael Bagnell believes the old expression that a dog is “Man’s Best Friend.”
This is an incredible real life story that we have just learned about regarding Bagnell.
By choice, Bagnell is the immediate past one term Mayor of Ventnor. He chose not to seek a second term.
Instead, Bagnell supported another ticket, Beth Maccagnano Holtzman, Tim Kriebel & Lance Landgraf, who have now each won two terms as Ventnor City Commissioners.
Bagnell was popular and he could have won a second term had he decided to run for reelection.
Serving only one term is in keeping with Bagnell’s character. He was never a career politician. He was a career professional firefighter by trade.
With this brief background, now on to a truly remarkable story.
Bagnell is very fortunate to be alive today. He’s a modest man, but, he took to his Facebook account to reveal publicly what recently happened to him. It’s just extraordinary.
There’s no better way to tell this story then in Bagnell’s own words as follows:
To my FAMILY and FRIENDS; I hesitate to post this.
I am not looking for sympathy, or well wishes. I am
alright. However, I recently experienced a near
death experience. I have a bad electrical system in
my heart, but the plumbing is fine.
Two weeks ago, my heart went into a fatal rhythm
which caused me to drop. My cardiologist and
primary doctor, in their combined 60+ years in
practice never heard of anyone surviving it.
Fortunately God has further plans for me.
The way I fell; {my hump and my beagle puppy saved me.} I landed flat on my hump [those who know … know what hump I mean] and just as I hit the floor, my Charlie Girl pounced on my chest; which acted like a Pre-Cardial Thump and put my heart into a normal rhythm.
They put a pace-maker/AED in my chest, which will
prevent that from happening again. I am FINE!!!!!
Hope that I broke the Bagnell curse.
Love you all, wrote Bagnell.
If you know Bagnell … he’s as humble as they come and he rarely talks about himself.
It’s obvious that he decided to make an exception in this case and he opened up about it, because he realizes that it is a miracle that he is still alive.
He is appropriately grateful for his new lease on life and you can just tell that he plans to not waste a moment of it.
With so many horrific things going on these days in our country … This is such a feel good story.
Congratulations Mayor.
PS: In case you’re wondering where the expression a dog is “Man’s Best Friend” came from. It dates back to 1870 and a case that was heard before The United States Supreme Court.
A lawyer named George Graham Vest defended a man
who deeply loved his hound dog named Old Drum.
Vest argued before the highest court in America “that when a neighbor killed Old Drum for trespassing, the neighbor took the life of more than just a pet … he killed an important family member.”
Vest famously stated, “The one absolute, unselfish
friend that man can have in this selfish world … the
one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous …
it is his dog,” said Vest.
Bagnell takes no exception to this expression. He’s now lived it through a life and death, moment of truth.
SOURCES: Michael Bagnell & Rover.com