At just 53, Charles Copeland has faced more than his fair share of serious health challenges. He survived a heart attack in 2016, underwent major heart surgery to replace his aortic valve in 2021 and battled kidney failure that required home hemodialysis and, ultimately, a cadaver kidney transplant. Charles has approached each trial with courage, resilience and the unwavering support of his family.

On July 29, 2025, just after returning from a family vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Charles experienced yet another life-threatening event. He had arrived home a few hours ahead of his wife, Jeannie, and discovered their air conditioning was not working – a tough situation on a sweltering summer day. The two made a quick trip to Lowe’s for a window unit for their bedroom and grabbed dinner to eat once back home.

An Emergency

As they were eating in the bedroom in the comfort of the air conditioning, Charles looked at Jeannie and tried to speak – but then his eyes rolled back and he became unresponsive. Jeannie, a nurse by profession, sprang into action. She called 911 and immediately began CPR. Their 10-year-old son witnessed his father’s collapse – adding to the emotional gravity of the moment.

Charles was rushed to Aultman Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), where he was stabilized, intubated and sent for testing. From the moment Jeannie saw him, she knew this was more critical than any of the previous emergencies they'd faced.

“The entire team in the ED was incredible,” Jeannie recalled. “They made one of the most terrifying moments of our lives as bearable as possible. Their compassion during those acute moments meant everything.”

Charles was admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), sedated and placed on hypothermia protocol to protect his brain while doctors searched for answers. Jeannie rarely left his side and found strength not only in her medical knowledge but also in the humanity of the team surrounding them.

A Caring Team

She vividly remembers how Natasha Akers, MICU staff nurse, spoke to Charles with kindness, even though he was unconscious. “Natasha is one of the most compassionate, caring people I’ve ever met,” Jeannie said. “She gave me hope – and she even prayed with us. That meant the world to me.”

The kindness didn’t stop there. Other MICU nurses – Jack Forsythe, Maddie Gingery and Jessica Ries – also cared for Charles with deep compassion, leaving a lasting impression on Jeannie and her family.

Jeannie also praised the residents overseeing Charles’s care – Drs. Hira Majid and Shruthi Karthikeyan – for their empathy and patience, taking the time to explain everything and answer every question.

One especially touching moment came from nurse Alisha Pocock, who knew how frightened their young son was. Wanting to offer him comfort, she recorded the sound of Charles’s heartbeat and placed it inside a teddy bear for him.

She also placed a small red silk heart pillow in Charles’s hand, symbolizing his son’s love. The team ensured the heart stayed with Charles at all times.

“That gesture,” said Jeannie, “was such a powerful act of kindness – it meant everything.”

A Healing Moment

As part of the diagnostic process, Charles underwent a heart catheterization (cath), which initially revealed a 90% blockage in a major coronary artery. He was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), where his exceptional care continued.

Jeannie credits Emmett Blum, CCU staff nurse, for helping them through the next phase of recovery. “Emmett is a nurse for all the right reasons,” she said. “His compassion and skill were exactly what we needed.”

In a remarkable turn of events, when Dr. Prab Gopalakrishnan later performed a follow-up cath to place a stent, he discovered the blockage had completely resolved. The artery was now 100% open; a stent wasn’t even necessary.

Charles is now home, continuing to recover from this life-altering ordeal. Jeannie, preparing to return to work as a director of nursing, carries with her a renewed perspective and a deeply personal story to share with her staff – one that highlights how small acts of kindness and deep compassion can make all the difference in a patient's experience.

She and Charles remain forever grateful for the skilled hands that saved his life, the unwavering love of family and friends and what they both believe was nothing short of a miracle.

They share their story not only as a heartfelt thank-you, but also as a reminder to others that second chances are real and miracles still happen. Jeannie reflected, “If the air conditioning hadn’t broken, we wouldn’t have been sharing dinner together in our bedroom that night, and I truly believe the outcome would have been tragically different.”