Ergon is deeply committed to the well-being of our employees, and we aim to share stories that encourage everyone to take charge of their health and safety. For World Heart Day (September 29), we are sharing the story of Scott Metcalf, a longtime Ergon employee whose recent heart attack serves as a powerful reminder for all of us to prioritize heart health. His experience shows how easily we can overlook warning signs, even when they are right in front of us.

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Scott, who has been with Ergon for over 15 years, was working in Chandler, Arizona, when his life took an unexpected turn. As the Vice President – Pavement Preservation, Scott knew what it meant to dedicate himself to his work for long hours, and that dedication didn’t always come without stress. In the months leading up to his heart attack, he had experienced fatigue and discomfort, but dismissed it as the normal toll of aging. “I noticed I was really tired. I couldn't even make it until 9 o'clock anymore, and my feet and ankles hurt,” he recalled. “I thought it was just part of getting older.”

Despite his family’s history of heart disease, Scott’s focus was on managing other health conditions, trusting the annual physicals where he was repeatedly told his heart was “strong.” But on April 25, 2023, Scott realized the seriousness of his situation. After dinner, intense chest pain hit him, radiating through his body. "It felt like a horse kicked me right in the chest," he said. The pain soon spread to his back, confirming to Scott that he was having a heart attack.

What helped Scott recognize the symptoms was a story shared by a customer years earlier. “I remembered a conversation I had with a customer who described his own heart attack to me, and I thought, ‘This is exactly what he told me it felt like.’ That story made me realize what was happening and to act fast.”

Scott immediately called 911 and then notified his wife, who was back home. Fortunately, his hotel was located next to a fire station, and within minutes, paramedics were at his door. They rushed him to a nearby cardiac trauma center, where doctors discovered a 100% blockage in his left anterior descending, or widowmaker, artery, a condition often fatal if not treated quickly.

During the procedure to insert a stent, Scott had a surreal experience. He described seeing the clearest, most beautiful blue sky he had ever seen — a moment he later learned was when doctors had temporarily stopped his heart. “For about a minute and a half, my heart was stopped while they worked on me. For that brief time, I was clinically dead.”

Looking back on his near-death experience, Scott shared a powerful message: “I got a second chance at life, and I’m making changes. But I want people to know — you don’t have to wait for a heart attack to make changes. Take care of yourself now.”

Since his heart attack, Scott has embraced a healthier lifestyle, taking his doctor's words to heart. He urges others to be more proactive about their health than he was. “My biggest piece of advice is to listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t just brush it off.”

Scott is also passionate about sharing his story, in hopes that it might help someone else recognize the warning signs, just as his customer’s story helped him. "If my story can make someone stop and think, ‘Maybe I should get checked out,’ then it’s worth sharing."

As we recognize World Heart Day, Scott also encourages those with symptoms or a family history of heart disease to undergo a heart check procedure called a calcium score test. “It’s a simple test that measures the plaque in your arteries,” Scott explained. “Had I known about this test earlier, I could’ve taken action before the heart attack happened. Don’t wait until it’s too late — get checked. You only get one heart, and sometimes, one more chance.”

Let Scott’s experience be a reminder to all of us: take control of your heart health now. Make the time for regular checkups, listen to your body and be proactive. It could save your life.