John Riebel is grateful to be alive.  

The busy county commissioner and Becker True Value Hardware business owner suffered a heart attack in February, the same evening he attended a heart education class at New River Medical Center.

Attending the class by himself, Riebel listened as Dr. Graham listed many symptoms of a heart attack.

After hearing details, Riebel later asked Graham, “Are those the only symptoms?”

“No, there are many different symptoms,” explained Graham.

For almost 10 years,  Riebel has occasionally encountered a strong burning sensation in his throat.

“I always assumed it was heartburn,” he says.

Riebel spoke with Graham about this burning and Graham agreed it could just be heartburn or a symptom of a heart attack.

Riebel explained he feels the burning when he overexerts himself or is stressed, but the burning sooner or later goes away.

Riebel returned home following the heart class at 7:30 p.m. and awoke at 2:30 a.m. to the burning sensation.

“It was so intense, it felt like flames in my throat,” he said.

Riebel attempted to go back to sleep but woke up again at 3 a.m. from the pain.

At that time he  made his second trip of the day to New River Medical Center. Except this time, he went to the emergency room.

Once he arrived and was roomed, Riebel says the doctor came in and within minutes told the nurses to strip him, shave him and get him in the helicopter.

“I asked him, “Who are you,” said Riebel.

“I’m the doctor, you are the patient, lay down,” answered the attending physician.

Riebel was told he was having a heart attack and would soon be on his way to Abbott Northwestern.

Within three minutes, the nurses had Riebel in the helicopter and 17 minutes later he was at Abbott.

“I remember landing on the roof of the hospital and they ran with me to the elevator while I was on the gurney.  I even looked over and could see down the  side building.” “I thought I hope they have me strapped in good,” he says.

Once Riebel and the medical team were at the elevator, it was lights out for Riebel who woke up the next day after undergoing a quad by-pass heart surgery.

After almost 10 years of the occasional burning in his throat, the pain was gone.

Riebel’s left vessels of his heart were almost deteriorated and the burning sensation was caused from his heart giving off chemicals.

Spending the next five days in the hospital, Riebel received visits from Dr. Graham and one of the nurses from the class.

“I didn’t mean for you to take me literally,” joked Graham with Riebel as he visited at Abbot.

The heart already gave, now it’s your turn, Riebel was told following his heart attack as his doctors told him to slow down his busy life.

Owner of Becker  True Value Hardware, a county commissioner and involved in the American Legion before, Riebel has cut his hours down at the store and with the American Legion.

“I’m just so grateful I went to this class,” said Riebel.

“Had I not, I probably would not be here,” he says.

Riebel had seen a specialist about his “heartburn” prior to attending the class.

“I will always get a second opinion now,” he says.

“But the class was free and I can’t say enough how people should just go.” “They are worth it,” he says.

“He is a very lucky man,” says Riebel’s daughter Kim.