Dead 3 Times: Tracy Peebles' Cardiac Story
February 3, 2025
On December 23, 2024, just two days prior to Christmas, Tracy Peebles was home with her ten-year-old daughter, preparing to enjoy the winter holiday break. Her husband, Greg, had gone to work, and she was planning last-minute Christmas shopping.
"I walked into my bathroom, threw up twice and fell on my left side. I couldn't get up, so I started calling my husband's name, and my daughter came running in the room, asking me what was the matter."
A Smart Girl Saves Her Mom
Deeply concerned by her mom's non-responsiveness, Tracy's daughter located her mom's locked phone and held it to her mother's face to unlock it. Once unlocked, she called her dad and asked him to return home.
Tracy recalls, "My daughter said, "Dad, you have to come back. Mommy is on the floor."
Swift Actions to Access Expert Care
Greg swiftly returned home and ran upstairs to the bathroom where he found his wife lying on the floor. He immediately called 911.
Emergency medical technicians arrived on scene and began asking Tracy questions. Greg recalls that his wife stared listlessly, without responding. In time, they turned her on her back, and she began moaning in pain, muttering, "It hurts. It hurts."
They loaded her onto the ambulance to take her to WakeMed North Hospital Emergency Department, just five minutes from their home, and she passed out.
Tracy says, "I startled awake as I heard them saying my husband was on the way. I then heard, 'We got to get this off of her,' and I felt the scissors cut my nightgown open."
A Heart that Gave In and a Team that Wouldn't Quit
Greg was ushered back to Tracy's room, given a chair to sit in and then informed that his wife had suffered a heart event. He saw numerous care team members surrounding Tracy. They were working feverishly administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) chest compressions. After 30 minutes, they finally got a pulse and contacted the mobile unit to transfer Tracy to WakeMed Raleigh Campus Heart Center, so she could be taken to the catheterization lab.
As mobile arrived and loaded her onto a stretcher, Tracy's lost consciousness and her heart stopped again.
Tracy says, "My husband told me they began chest compressions and would intermittently stop to check for a pulse. With no pulse, team members would take turns giving chest compressions, handing off to the next person as the prior team member would tire."
This went on for 15 minutes before they got a pulse. Immediately, they intubated Tracy. At the bedside, the mobile team continued preparing Tracy for a transfer via ambulance to WakeMed Raleigh Campus. The team performed an electrocardiogram (EKG) and confirmed that Tracy had suffered an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), which involved a blocked ramus intermedius coronary artery.
Once enroute, they lost her pulse again. The team administered CPR — this time for 10 minutes before she came back.
The "Heart Smart" WakeMed Heart & Vascular Team Steps Into Action
Upon arrival, they rushed Tracy into the cardiac catheterization lab. The invasive cardiology team, led by WakeMed cardiologist Ryan Orgel, MD, was there and waiting. Using the femoral artery in the leg, Dr. Orgel placed two stents in her heart’s coronary arteries as well as a heart pump. Following the successful procedure, Tracy was taken to the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) for care and recovery from the procedure.
She was also placed into a medically induced coma to help her heart and body heal from the trauma of her three cardiac arrest events.
Dr. Orgel comments, "I am so happy that Tracy is doing well after her heart attack. It takes a tremendous team effort from the emergency department, EMS, the cath lab and the ICU to have outcomes as successful as Tracy's. I look forward to hearing about her continued progress!"
When she was awakened on December 29, Tracy was surprised to learn what had happened to her.
"I discovered that not only had I died three times, but I also had suffered a urinary tract infection (UTI), a fever and contracted pneumonia. My older daughter had also come down from Virginia to visit me. She was overwhelmed with sadness to see me in a coma and connected to an intravenous unit (IV) tree."
Tracy also learned that her devoted husband, Greg, was there for every visitation shift, asking the care team questions regarding her prognosis.
Tracy offers, "My first memory after coming out of the coma was of Dr. Orgel entering my room to check on me. A physician assistant explained where I was and what had happened to me. I was like, 'Are you kidding me?' I started crying because the WakeMed care teams fought to keep me here. They could have let me go."
Tracy began inpatient therapeutic interventions, with visits from physical and occupational therapists. She also received visits from WakeMed advanced heart failure specialist Stuart Russell, MD, who worked to reduce her fluid overload. Invasive and interventional WakeMed cardiologist Peter Chan, MD, FACC, also dropped in several times once she was extubated and recovering, to monitor her healing and answer Tracy's heart-related questions.
Love from Nurses at the Heart of Health Care
Tracy has fond memories of the nurses who supported her during this difficult time.
"Ashley was my day nurse in the ICU from December 29 to December 31. She was tough on me, but I needed that to get focused and on the road to recovery. I would tell her I didn't want to do what she asked, but she would insist and encourage me. In fact, when she was off my last two days in ICU, I had terrible anxiety because I had grown so fond of Ashley and her tough love for me."
Ashley helped Tracy move from the bed to the chair and walked her down the hallway. She also insisted she get up to use the restroom. Once Ashley and the team got Tracy moving along in her journey back to health, Tracy was relocated to 2E, a stepdown unit, on January 2, where Tracy met more kind and devoted staff.
"Selena was my night nurse, and she washed my hair and combed it out using gentle care. Mary checked on me constantly throughout her shift, making sure I was getting up, going to the bathroom and drinking sufficient water. My night nurse, Tracey, was a super woman! She came in, washed me up, changed my bedding and made me feel cared for. Another day nurse, Kandis, answered questions for my care team about my discharge. As I grew stronger, I was eager to head home to my responsibilities as a homemaker."
On January 4, Tracy was authorized for discharge and transferred into the care of WakeMed provider Malorie Evans, NP, for ongoing cardiovascular care.
Tracy's Full-Circle Experience of the Heartbeat of Care
She was thrilled and deeply grateful for the consistent, exceptional care she received at WakeMed North Hospital and Raleigh Campus. A prior employee who served as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) from 2017 to 2022, she had already grown to love WakeMed — but being on the other side of care — brought full circle her experience of high quality, unparalleled compassion.
"I worked in the pre-op department, so I knew quite a few of the surgeons. I remember heeding the calls for a code STEMI, but never did I ever think I would one day be the patient who needed a care team to step into action for my STEMI and save my life."
Tracy looks forward to transitioning into WakeMed Cardiac Rehab in a few weeks to strengthen her stamina and regain her confidence for everyday living.
About WakeMed Cardiac Rehab
WakeMed Cardiac Rehab offers a safe, monitored environment where you can gain the strength, confidence, camaraderie and nutritional know-how you need to live a heart-healthy life.
The WakeMed Cardiac Rehab specialists welcome patients who have or had:
- A recent heart attack
- Cardiac bypass surgery
- Angioplasty or stent placement
- Valve repair or replacement surgery
- A heart transplant
- Stable angina
- Heart failure
Patients with ventricular assist devices also benefit from our program.
About WakeMed Heart & Vascular
WakeMed Heart & Vascular brings together our team of expert cardiologists, surgeons, sub-specialists and advanced practice providers who are dedicated to putting patients first. Delivering the highest quality cardiovascular care, our physicians are where you need us in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Benson, Clayton, Dunn, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Wake Forest, and coming soon to Morrisville.