Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner Thanks Heart Doctor Who Saved His Life
Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner recently had a chance to thank the doctor that saved his life during a video chat that was shared by Rudd Heart and Lung Center at the University of Louisville health at Jewish Hospital and was part of a news report by local station WHAS 11.
Faulkner was performing with Judas Priest at Louisville's Louder Than Life on Sept. 26 when he suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection. He managed to complete the final song of the set, before he was taken to the Rudd Heart and Lung Center where he underwent a 10-hour surgery with a team led by Dr. Siddharth Pahwa replacing an aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement with a hemiarch replacement.
"Mr. Faulkner is alive today because the stars aligned," Dr. Pahwa told WHAS 11. "He had an outstanding emergency care team, he was close to a world class heart center, and he was quick to recognize he needed help."
While Faulkner recently released an update via social media to fans revealing what happened on Sept. 26 and his thankfulness for all involved and the support he's received since, the guitarist also appeared via video to chat with Dr. Pawha.
"You saved my life. My little girl saw me come home and that just means everything, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. There's really nothing more to say other than that really," said Faulkner, appearing from his bed after being discharged from the hospital.
"It just means the most to see our patients healing and happy and healthy after this long procedure. We're very happy to see how you've done and how you've progressed and you'll be back to entertaining people very soon," added Dr. Pawha.
Faulkner then offered to get some tickets for the doctor next time he's in town which received a thumbs up from the doc.
"You gave everything to me back, so whatever I can give to you in return is fine by me," the guitarist later added. See video of the chat from WHAS 11 right here.