Aron Korani, Strathfield: LIV Realty founder in heart attack scare, recounts recovery

A 36-year-old Strathfield family man recounted the moment six weeks ago when he suffered a massive heart attack, requiring a stent before bypass surgery. Warning: Some graphic imagery.

For a fit, young family man, heart attacks and intensive bypass surgery are not something usually on the radar, but for one 36-year-old inner west local it became an all too real reality.

Aron Korani, 36, lives and works in Strathfield with his wife Sahar and five-year-old son Simon. He is the founder of a thriving reality firm, LIV Realty, and until six weeks ago was on his feet for the busy daily grind.

However, a massive heart attack, a subsequent failed stent and intensive heart bypass surgery dramatically rocked the life of Mr Korani.

“At 36, you still sort of feel invincible,” Mr Korani told the Inner West Courier.

“You still feel as if there’s another 10 years of so of Big Macs and parties left!

Aron (left) with his wife Sahar and five-year-old son Simon. Picture: Supplied

“But you’re invincible until you’re told you’re not – and this was a very big wake up to the reality that you’re actually very vulnerable.”

Mr Korani at first thought he was suffering from heartburn, before the telltale signs of a heart attack started to show. He said, luckily, his parents, who both are nurses, had left a single aspirin tablet in his medicine drawer not too long before. Aspirin, which thins the blood and can save critical time for heart-attack victims, played a big role in giving Mr Korani those extra moments before the paramedics arrived.

“I was in 45 minutes of agony and then got given some treatment and started to feel fine,” Mr Korani said.

“So fine in fact that I was joking around, didn’t even think I’d had a heart attack.

“It was only when they told me what had happened before I woke up and then told I’ve now got a stent put in. I was in denial about it, but just like that your life changes.”

Aron (right) with his wife Sahar and five-year-old son Simon. Picture: Supplied

Aron with five-year-old son Simon. Picture: Supplied

The recovery was hard but progressing, before some bad news hit Mr Korani.

“They did an X-ray and said that there was a blockage across 80 per cent of my main artery,” he said.

“I got told the next step would be a bypass and I made the stupid mistake of looking it up on YouTube… which I wouldn’t recommend.”

Mr Korani then waited at Concord Hospital before a bed became free at RPA Hospital in Newtown. He described the sense of fear and regret washing over him in that period.

Aron pictured here at RPA Hospital: Aron had a stent, before having to have bypass surgery a few weeks after. Picture: Supplied

Aron pictured here at RPA Hospital: Aron had a stent, before having to have bypass surgery a few weeks after. Picture: Supplied

“There were no white gates or angels, my life didn’t flash before my eyes,” he said.

“It was just a feeling of regret and sadness. But what gets you going again is wanting to watch your son grow up, hoping that life won’t end here.”

Mr Korani, after a successful heart bypass surgery, finally left hospital just over a week ago, and said he was on the mend with some lifestyle tweaks.

“To stop them jumping onto my chest, my indoor dogs have now become temporary outdoor dogs,” he said.

“My young son doesn’t totally get what’s happened, but he knows he’s got to be fragile with me, not jump onto me – so he does understand.”

Heart disease is Australia’s leading cause of death, killing someone every 13 minutes. While 71 per cent of those over 45 were concerned about developing heart disease, close to one-third had never raised it with a doctor.

Mr Korani’s experience highlights the need for preventive care and regular check-ups for men, regardless of if they are seeing the signs of ill-health. He’s been using Vityl, a new software that helps patients via their phone.

A world-first, technology-enabled chronic disease clinic, Vityl connects patients and their primary GPs to the group’s entire team of specialists and allied health care practitioners. The team consists of doctors, medical specialists, psychologists, dietitians, diabetes educators, and other allied health professionals.

Although a life-changing few weeks, Mr Korani also said he’s coming out of it a mentally stronger person.

“At first you feel sorry for yourself, but then you realise you’ve already done the hard yards,” he said.

“The next bit is a walk in the park in comparison, and you have to remember that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.”