Being good student saves Riebel's life

[West Sherburne Tribune, June 03, 2010] John Riebel is grateful to be alive. The busy county commissioner and Becker True Value Hardware business owner suffered a heart attack in February, the same evening he attended a heart education class at New River Medical Center.

Attending the class by himself, Riebel listened as Dr. Kevin Graham of the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, listed many symptoms of a heart attack. Riebel returned home following the heart class at 7:30 p.m. and awoke at 2:30 a.m. to the burning sensation.

“It was so intense, it felt like flames in my throat,” he said.