ICU Wedding: Couple Marries Days Before Heart Surgery

Daniel Phan was in heart failure and just days away from a lifesaving surgery when he and his girlfriend, Julia, decided to get married — right in the intensive care unit.

Daniel and Julia Phan first met as children after Daniel’s parents hired Julia’s mom to work at their nail salon.

“We were the same age. I went to her house when I was, like, eight years old, not knowing she was going to be my future wife,” Daniel told Healthline.

The two lost touch for years but reconnected on Facebook after college in 2014. They didn’t start dating until 2023, when both were in their early 30s.

“I reached out because I saw [on Facebook] that she was at a concert and I love concerts, so I asked her if she wanted to go to a concert with me,” said Daniel. “And that’s how it started.”

About a year into their relationship, the couple talked about marriage. But their path to the altar changed when Daniel became seriously ill.

Living with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

At age 11, Daniel was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a genetic heart condition where the heart muscle becomes too thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood.

Daniel’s older sister also has the condition, and their mother carried the genetic mutation that causes HCM.

Soon after his diagnosis, Daniel received a pacemaker.

“I was excluded from many activities like sports,” he said. “It was a very sad, traumatic time.”

Playing guitar and drums became his outlet, and he made it through high school without any major health problems.

But in his early 20s, he had a few episodes where he pushed himself too hard while exercising. This caused him to pass out and end up in the emergency room.

Then in 2024, he started having irregular heartbeats even when he wasn’t active.

On January 15, 2025, he was sitting on his couch watching TV when a severe arrhythmia hit.

“It was the worst one. I was super dizzy, threw up everywhere, my heart wouldn’t calm down…so I called 911, and they showed up, and I ended up in the ER for a week in Gainesville Northeast Georgia,” said Daniel.

Because Daniel was in heart failure, doctors moved him to Piedmont Heart in Atlanta. He originally hoped to get a heart transplant there.

When a heart transplant isn’t possible, doctors turn to LVAD

Daniel could not receive a heart transplant. Instead, he got a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

LVADs are recommended when heart failure patients no longer respond to medication, said Dr. Sagar Damle, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Piedmont Heart.

“In this situation, the heart is too weak to adequately pump blood to the entire body, and patients have worsening heart failure. They usually have significant symptoms, such as shortness of breath with activity, fatigue, and tiredness,” he told Healthline. “When medications are no longer effective, LVADs, and sometimes transplant, are the next steps.”

The LVAD works like a water pump. It takes blood from the left ventricle and sends it to the body through the aorta.

“In a nutshell, it effectively functions as the patient’s own left ventricle,” said Damle. “Since most patients who have heart failure have predominantly left ventricular failure, LVADs work very well in that scenario.”

A heartfelt moment after heart failure

Before his LVAD surgery, Daniel felt he had to ask Julia to marry him.

“While I was in the hospital, I said, ‘Do you want to marry me?’ She was there every day. It was a huge commitment for her, and we already knew we wanted to be married,” he said.

Julia said yes.

“He handed me his mother’s ring, and it fits perfectly,” she told Healthline.

The next day, on January 29, 2025, the couple married in the ICU. Their uncle officiated, and about a dozen of their closest family and friends attended.

“We had like 12 or 13 people surrounding Daniel’s bed and around the machines too,” said Julia. “We always joke about how our wedding costs the most, surrounded by expensive machines.”

The next day, Julia went to the courthouse to get their marriage license and make it official. This allowed Daniel to get coverage for the LVAD surgery under Julia’s insurance.

“Time was ticking. Daniel was on life support, and the doctors were telling us, ‘the longer you are on life support, the worse you’re going to get,’ and we had to come to a decision,” she said.

A few days later, on February 5, 2025, Daniel had surgery to receive the Abbott HeartMate 3 LVAD.

Married and thriving with an LVAD

Daniel’s recovery was hard at first. Being on life support required an extra surgery to fix a damaged vein.

“I was super fatigued, still recovering, I could barely walk to my driveway without being out of breath,” he said.

Several months of physical therapy helped him feel about 80-85% better.

“Going up the stairs before the LVAD, I’d need to stop and take a breath,” said Daniel. “Now I can go upstairs, and I’m a little tired, but I’m confident because I can see the numbers on LVAD, and I know I’m good. If anything happens, I know the LVAD is doing its job.”

He keeps the option open for a heart transplant in the future, but for now, he believes in his recovery and the LVAD.

“Who knows, five years from now, the LVAD technology could be even more advanced,” said Daniel. “[Hopefully] my heart recovers; it’s really rare, but that’s what I believe in. I believe in God, and I’ve seen miracles happen.”

Damle said LVADs are often used in patients who are too sick for a transplant, or in those who have a reason they cannot get one.

“They can stay on LVAD support for many years if needed to improve their candidacy for transplant,” said Damle.

Today, Daniel and Julia are living life as fully as they can. They hope to start a family soon.

“I’m just really glad that he’s on his feet and he hasn’t had any bad symptoms or any episodes,” said Julia. “It’s been over a year now that he’s had his LVAD, and we’ve actually really managed life. Life looks different, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, honestly.”

Daniel said he wouldn’t be where he is without Julia’s support.

“She’s done everything for me,” he said.

Julia said the challenges they’ve faced together have “made life more meaningful.” She has even started helping others going through similar experiences as part of Abbott’s Care Partner Ambassador Program.

“I love the wording of care partner because…I was trying to be a wife and a caregiver,” she said. “Being able to listen to other people’s stories

Source: Healthline