Heart Attack Survivor Has a “Heart for the Kettles” This Holiday Season

Tony Shuff is a busy man, and his Oct. 5 heart attack was not on the fall “to-do” list.

His warning signs?
• Tired and easily winded
• Shortness of breath
• Minimal feelings of discomfort around the heart

The 64-year-old small-business owner and director of the Logan and Mason County Salvation Army received life-saving care at Memorial Medical Center and then started cardiac rehabilitation at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

He’s already back to coordinating the annual kettle drive for the Salvation Army this holiday season – this year with a new name: “A Heart for the Kettles.”

“A Heart for the Kettles’ came from doing my rehab program at ALMH,” Tony said. “The rehab staff has been very encouraging. I actually feel better now than I have for some time.”

Shuff is nearing the halfway point of a 12-week rehabilitation program. He does one-hour workouts on five or six machines three times a week. He has already noticed a change in his strength and endurance, and his resting heart rate is adjusting to a more normal level as well.

The convenience of the hospital’s local rehab program is not lost on him.

“We get the kettles started at the crack of dawn, and they go until 9 p.m. each evening,” he said. “Being able to come in for rehab first thing in the morning is worth everything. And the quality of the program is top notch. They know what to test for in each individual and what to work on. That gives you a level of peace and confidence.”

Want to help ring the bells with Tony or make a donation to the Salvation Army this holiday season? Call 217-732-7890 and leave a voice mail. Tony will be sure to call you back.

“This community has a heart for the kettles,” he said.