Former ‘Mayor Bob’ Coble expected to return home after month-long recovery process + video

After over a month since former “Mayor Bob” Coble suffered a heart attack at the State House, medical officials and family members are expecting him to make a full recovery and to return home as early as next week.

Daniel Coble, Bob Coble’s son and assistant 5th court solicitor, said his father is currently undergoing physical therapy treatment at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital and is in good strength and spirits. Daniel Coble also took the time during a press conference held at Providence Hospital Wednesday to thank the several medical professionals that saved his father’s life.

“They performed a miracle,” Coble said. “Bob Coble wasn’t the only Coble at the hospital during those times. My family was there, and they didn’t forget about us. We will be forever grateful to Providence for everything they have done.”

On April 16, Bob Coble was working as a lobbyist at the State House when he suddenly began to feel ill. According to Dr. Marc New, who was at the State House providing voluntary medical services, Coble had just come back from lunch and reported feeling heart burn. New said although Coble was “doing all the right things,” – taking Aspirin and had undergone previous stress testing – heart disease can often mimic symptoms of heart burn, or acid reflux.

“Unfortunately, what he had was a heart attack right there in the State House,” New said. “The thing that saved his life was certainly God’s hand guiding us, but the AED that was there, the defibrillator is the thing that truly saved his life.”

After Coble was resuscitated by New and State House nurses Betsey Hossenlopp and Cicely Jenkins, he requested to be transported to Providence Hospital, according to Daniel Coble. It was there that family friend and surgeon Dr. Edward “Mac” Leppard performed a quadruple bypass surgery to save “Mayor Bob’s” life.

“Bob basically had what we call a ‘Widowmaker,’ it has a high mortality (rate),” Leppard said. “I have to give credit to (Bob Coble) and his family. Bob Coble is one of the toughest hardest, hardest working, compliant and nicest patient that I have ever had the pleasure of taking care of. He did everything and more of what we asked him to do. That’s really important.”

With Father’s Day approaching, Daniel Coble said the experience has made he, his mother and brothers and sisters very thankful for the round-the-clock efforts the medical staff put forward in saving his father.

“It makes you appreciate every moment,” Coble said. “It doesn’t have to just be Father’s Day, but every day makes you appreciate what you have.”

This story was originally published May 27, 2015 at 1:40 PM with the headline "Former ‘Mayor Bob’ Coble expected to return home after month-long recovery process + video."