One Year Later: A Life Saved Through Trust and Teamwork

On Feb. 2, 2025, 65-year-old David Restivo of Mulkeytown was rushed to SIH Herrin Hospital with severe abdominal pain and dangerously low blood pressure. A rapid CT scan revealed a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—a life-threatening emergency in which the main artery in the abdomen tears and bleeds internally.
AAAs often remain silent until rupture and carry a high risk of death. Nearly half of patients do not survive, and those who reach the hospital face an 80–90% chance of death.

Mobilizing a System

SIH Herrin Hospital emergency physician Kasey Nelson, DO, immediately recognized the severity of David’s condition. He intubated him, inserted IV lines, ordered blood products and contacted the on-call vascular surgeon at SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

Within minutes, nurses and technicians secured access, rushed David to radiology and returned with an emergent CT scan.

“We had only a scout image, but I knew what it was,” Dr. Nelson recalled. “I called Dr. Roger Shinnerl and said, ‘This is a ruptured AAA.’ He responded, ‘Send him now.’”

That simple phrase reflected deep professional trust.

As David was transported, Dr. Shinnerl and trauma and critical care surgeon Kilali Iyalla, MD, assembled an operating room, while Memorial’s emergency department, laboratory, respiratory therapy and cardiac cath lab teams prepared for an unplanned, high-risk surgery.

In the Herrin ambulance bay, Dionna Jones, RN, and LaChrisha Dunmyer, RT, climbed into the ambulance with David. During transport, his heart stopped. Refusing to let his story end on Route 13, they performed continuous CPR in the back of the moving vehicle.

Leaving nothing to chance, Dr. Shinnerl was waiting for David in the emergency department. The doctor found a miniscule pulse on his third attempt, setting the move to the operating room into motion.

Surgery and Recovery

Dr. Shinnerl performed a complex open repair of the aorta, clamping the vessel and patching the rupture. Dr. Iyalla managed the critical care portion of the operation, coordinating closely with anesthesia, perfusion and nursing teams.

After surgery, David was transferred to the intensive care unit, where he remained on ventilatory and circulatory support for days. He required continuous monitoring, dialysis and, eventually, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)—an advanced life-support system that temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs. Because his lungs were too weak to supply enough oxygen on their own, ECMO gave them time to rest and heal.

Throughout his hospitalization, Tammy Restivo never left her husband’s side.

Years earlier, she had set a daily reminder on her phone: Trust. Believe. Compassion. Those words guided her as she prayed for the unknown hands that would care for her husband.

“There were no weak links that night,” Tammy later said. “Everyone was professional. I saw no chaos, and that allowed me to stay calm.”
David spent weeks in intensive care in Carbondale and St. Louis, followed by months of rehabilitation. Eventually, he returned home, embraced by his family and community.

Trust Rewarded

On the first anniversary of David’s rupture, SIH hosted a reunion that brought together more than 30 members of his care team from both hospitals.

Many had never met in person during the emergency. They had been voices on phones, hands passing blood through doorways or colleagues working in parallel under intense pressure.

The reunion was filled with hugs, tears and reflections on a case that reaffirmed why they chose careers in health care.

Dr. Nelson emphasized how preparation converges in moments of crisis.

“We spend years preparing for an outcome like yours,” he said. “It wasn’t hours or minutes—it was seconds that mattered.”

Dionna Jones recalled praying in the ambulance and trusting that she had been prepared for that moment. Manager Sam Shoemake described the heaviness in the department after learning that

David had coded in transit—and the collective joy when word came that he had survived.

Tammy told the team she continues to pray for them, acknowledging both their sacrifices and the reality that not every story has a happy ending.

A Reminder for All of Us

David Restivo’s survival illustrates the importance of rapid diagnosis, integrated systems, interdepartmental trust and compassionate care.

It is also a reminder that AAA screening and awareness are critical. Men over 65, smokers and individuals with a family history of aneurysms are at higher risk. Early detection through ultrasound screening can prevent tragedy.

As we celebrate David’s recovery, SIH encourages everyone to talk with their health care provider about cardiovascular screening and to recognize the lifesaving power of teamwork, preparation and trust.