NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Just hours after being released from the hospital, Officer Tommy Norman was already back to doing what he loves most-- spending time with people he cares about.
Following his release from the hospital, he's hugging his loved ones just a little bit tighter.
"I still haven't processed it," Norman said.
It was Saturday when he said he began feeling pain in his left arm and his chest.
He went to work the next day and completed his shift, but by the time he got home, he felt an urgency to go to the hospital.
"I told my wife either call an ambulance now or take me to the emergency room. The cardiologist came in a few hours later and told me I had suffered a major heart attack with up to 95% blockage in my heart," he said.
This health scare comes just four months after Officer Norman lost his daughter Alyssa.
"I'm still trying to process her loss," Norman said about his daughter.
This left him to wonder if his handling of grief could have impacted the condition of his heart. He said that he even questioned his cardiologist about it.
"I even talked to my cardiologist and asked him if that was even possible and he said 'absolutely.' Grief and a broken heart can add to your stress levels. That takes a hit when it comes to heart disease," Norman said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack every year, with heart disease being the leading cause of death for men in the United States.
But, at 49 years of age, the North Little Rock police officer would have never predicted suffering from a heart attack.
After his personal battle, Norman is urging people to take their health seriously.
"Listen to my story and hear it from me. Go get a physical, get a checkup, it's something that would save your life," he said.
This health scare was enough to force him to rest and allow his body to heal, reminding him how quickly the gift of life could be taken away.
"I was a day away from not being here… and I have so much more to offer this world,” Norman said.