On June 5, 2016, I was sitting in my recliner at home in Potomac, reading, when I started to feel… off. At first, I figured it was just indigestion, but the feeling didn’t go away—and then I broke out in a cold sweat. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right. I called out to my wife, Fern, and she didn’t hesitate—she dialed 911 immediately.
Hearing sirens in your own neighborhood is surreal. Hearing them and knowing they’re coming for you? That’s a whole different experience.
When the paramedics arrived, they quickly confirmed I was having a heart attack. I was rushed to Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, where Dr. Rajeev Patel, the on-call cardiologist, was waiting.
Later, Fern told me that Dr. Patel had pulled her aside and said I might only have minutes to live. She was in shock—completely numb, unable to even process what she was hearing.
Dr. Patel went to work right away. He cleared the blockage and inserted a stent, but the damage had already triggered a dangerous heart rhythm. They had to use the defibrillator paddles—twice. I later learned I had suffered what’s called a “widow-maker” heart attack: a complete blockage in the main coronary artery.
Thanks to Dr. Patel and the incredible team at Shady Grove, I survived.
Since that day, Fern and I have looked for ways to give back. We’ve made several donations to the hospital, and more recently, I decided to take it a step further by joining the board of trustees for the Shady Grove Medical Center Foundation.
That place saved my life. And now that I’ve retired from my role as executive vice president and general counsel of EagleBank, I want to help ensure that other patients in need get the same level of care I did.
larrybensignor.com 
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