Amesbury heart attack survivor urges open conversation on heart health
Lee Paxton, 63, is using his story to encourage others to talk about heart conditions
An Amesbury man who survived a heart attack is sharing his story in an effort to encourage others to open up the conversation about heart health.
In 2024, Lee Paxton, suffered a total blockage of the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) artery, also known as the widow-maker, whilst at work.
"It was like a bomb went off inside me," the 63-year-old said. "It was a massive explosion of pain from the centre of my chest, radiating out to both of my shoulders."
The pain was such that it took Lee's breath away and left him barely able to speak. Luckily the quick actions of work colleagues around him meant 999 was called and, despite a delay of some 40 minutes, he was rushed to hospital where doctors fitted a stent and cleared the blockage.
While Lee remembers most of the ordeal, he admits there was a period where he knew he'd stopped breathing and had to fight to regain consciousness.
The father of two believes he was lucky to pull through, with an LAD blockage having a survival chance of just 10%.
Lee has shared his story as part of a campaign by the British Heart Foundation to get more people talking about cardiovascular disease, with a survey by the organisation finding more than half of people surveyed felt judged or embarrassed about their condition.
Half also felt it's not taken as seriously as other conditions, with over two-thirds believe it's not well understood.
How it's affected Lee's life
Lee told Greatest Hits Radio he's made some changes to his life following the heart attack.
While he says his diet wasn't terrible to begin with, he has had to cut out certain things. "I've always eaten healthy," he said, telling us he regular eats fruit and vegetables, while grilling his food too.
But perhaps the biggest change is one that Lee admits he can't identify a reason for.
He said: "I do find I seek a bit more peace. Bustling, noisy places no longer appeal to me. I don't really understand why I would have changed like that off the back of this, but it is a real change."
As a result, he's found he's socialising a bit less with his friends, with the meet-ups they used to go for not being as appealing for him, although they do still get together to ride their motorbikes together.
Lee was a keen cyclist before the heart attack, which he says helped give him a fighting chance of survival as it kept him fit. Despite his heart condition, he's still active and keeping his fitness levels up.
"If it's feasible to walk, my wife and I will walk somewhere, we won't drive," he said, adding that he still cycles although it is an e-bike or pedal assisted now.
It could happen to anyone
Lee warned us that it could happen to anyone, urging anyone with concerns about the health of their heart to consult their doctor.
He admits there was an element of what he called shame about what had happened, telling us many people have an image in their mind of what a heart attack victim looks like.
He said the general model is of someone who smokes, eats poorly, doesn't exercise, or is overweight. "I don't believe I'm any of those things," he said.
Lee added: "It can happen to any of us at any time in our life and it's not a certain group of people that's it's going to be restricted to."
He warned it's not something to be ignored, adding that he'd had not warnings before his heart attack.
Starting the conversation
As part of the BHF's campaign to kickstart the conversation about cardiovascular health, red benches are being installed across the country, including in Stockbridge Recreation Ground.
It's a place frequently visited by Lee, who says he's made many trips to the park on his bike.
The benches are to be considered a living tribute to survivors of heart conditions, as well as a functional place for people to chat and be open about the health of their heart.
Lee says he hopes it can be a conversation starter, telling us benches are "a little place of sanctuary" where people can talk.
He said: "I think it's very important for people to have somewhere to sit and chat and relax and feel comfortable."