Heart attack survivor describes ordeal

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A Boston radiologist suffered a heart attack while visiting South Florida earlier this month.

Dr. Peter Franklin was vacationing in the Florida Keys with his wife a few weeks ago when he suffered chest pains. "I was feeling a little tired and a little short of breath, and I wasn't sure what to do," he said.

Franklin's physician advised him to get to Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach, but once there, things got worse. While cardiologists examined him, Franklin suffered a heart attack. "All of a sudden, literally, all of a sudden, it wasn't just that I had a stent placed," he said, "I went into cardiac arrest; my heart stopped."

Doctors had to keep the patient's body temperature at 34 degrees Celsius for 24 hours to keep him alive. According to the cardiologist who treated Franklin, the patient even went without oxygen for 15 minutes while he and his team worked to save him. "The first 24 hours for him were very difficult," said Dr. Esteban Escolar. "A team of 10 doctors were taking care of him every hour for different specialties. This is a team [effort]. I was just one of the 10 people that took care of this," he added.

Franklin and his wife Kathleen admitted the close call has changed their perspective on life. "Lots of nice things have come out of this experience," Kathleen said. "Some people in our family were fighting, and they've stopped fighting. They've mended their fences," she continued.

Franklin and his wife are sharing his survival story and giving thanks to the doctors who saved his life. "We've been in and out of hospitals," said Kathleen. "There is nothing like this place, if there is anybody in the area who has chest pains."

Franklin will remain in Miami through next week for observation. During the month of February, the American Heart Association celebrates American Heart Month.

(Copyright 2013 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)