Cardiac Rehab Helped Bobby McWhorter Recover from Heart Attack and Stroke

VALLEY, Ala.—As he stepped off the treadmill to complete his 36th, and final, cardiac rehab session, one would never have guessed that Bobby McWhorter had suffered a stroke and heart attack just months earlier. 

While he had the opportunity to skip the appointment following the office’s week-long Christmas Break, that just isn’t the way Bobby McWhorter lives life. He wanted to spend one last morning pushing himself to the limit, and spending time with the friends he’d made over the course of his treatment. 

“I am very fortunate to have come here,” McWhorter said. “I do not wish at all on anyone the experiences that I’ve had for the last year, but the experiences worked out good. In the end, I met some people that I really like.” 

In late February 2024, McWhorter suffered a stroke followed just over one month later by a heart attack. The string of health scares resulted in him spending two weeks in the EAMC-Lanier Nursing Home, where he received skilled nursing care. 

Though not uncommon for a patient to face both a stroke and heart attack in quick succession, McWhorter’s situation was trickier since he was not eligible for heart surgery due to his age and preexisting health conditions. 

During his stay in the nursing home, McWhorter’s determination to improve was evident to all the staff. Though he required oxygen and a walker at the time, he would walk from the nursing home to the therapy gym—a distance of about 100 feet. 

After two weeks, McWhorter’s condition had improved enough that he could return home. Since he was not eligible for heart surgery, staff recommended that he go through EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital’s Cardiac Rehab program—a 12-week program designed to speed up recovery and help patients maintain a healthy heart. 

McWhorter took to the program as if he’d completed it before. He showed up early, worked hard and always kept a smile on his face. After a few sessions, he no longer needed a walker or oxygen, and was improving across the board in areas related to mobility. 

“All my life I’ve had experiences with this hospital, and they’ve all been good,” McWhorter stated. “With something like this, you have to do all you can do for yourself, and then if you happen to get some help along the way, you are fortunate.” 

Even though he is 85 years old, McWhorter wasn’t afraid to challenge himself during his rehab sessions. In fact, he nearly made the top of the Cardiac Rehab recovery leaderboard—a bit of friendly competition between participants to see who can improve the most during their time in the program. 

“Bobby celebrated a birthday during his time in the program, and I want to say that this is the first time that I recall a patient seeming to reverse in age and how they look,” said Mardi Smith, RN (Cardiac Rehab). “Bobby actually looks like he’s a few years younger.” 

Now with the rest of 2025 ahead of him, and his Cardiac Rehab graduate certificate hung on the wall, McWhorter plans to continue staying active. 

“I’m going to the Sportsplex and will continue working out,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll go three days a week, but I am planning on doing something other than sitting on my behind.”