A Second Chance at Life

On August 30, 2025, Samantha Smith spent a normal day out and about before heading home that evening. She ate half a sandwich, sat on her back porch, and lit a cigarette - something she had done for 45 years.

Then something felt wrong.

“I just felt numb. Something felt off,” Samantha said. “I walked around a little bit and told my husband, ‘I think I need to go to the hospital.’ I don’t know how I knew - I just knew.”

She walked into the Ozarks Healthcare Emergency Department and told staff she believed she was having a heart attack. Within moments, her care team confirmed she was experiencing a STEMI - a severe and life-threatening type of heart attack - and activated a STEMI alert.
What happened next moved quickly.

Cath lab staff rushed Samantha for an emergency procedure, getting her to the lab and beginning intervention in approximately 30 minutes. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Muhammad Khan discovered multiple dangerous blockages in complex areas of her coronary arteries. During the procedure, Samantha coded. A Code Blue was called, and teams from across the hospital responded immediately.

That rapid response - from the Emergency Department to the Cath Lab and beyond - played a critical role in saving her life.

Despite the challenges, Dr. Khan successfully placed three stents, restoring blood flow to her heart.

“It was beautiful,” her daughter, Shelby Galiher, recalled him saying after the procedure. “He completely opened her vessels back up.”

After five days in the hospital - including time on a ventilator - she began the road to recovery.

Today, her heart function has returned to normal.

Samantha had no significant personal history of heart disease. She kept up with her primary care appointments and lab work. Looking back, however, she now recognizes subtle warning signs she may have experienced in the months leading up to her heart attack - unusual fatigue, brief episodes of arm discomfort, and simply feeling “off.”

“I think I was having little spells before, but I didn’t know what it was,” she said.

Her advice during American Heart Month is simple:

“Get it taken care of. Better safe than sorry.”

Too often, especially in rural communities, people wait - brushing off symptoms or assuming they’ll pass. Samantha is grateful she didn’t.

“If I would’ve had to go somewhere else, I’d be gone,” she said. “Having this hospital here, with this level of specialized care, saved my life.”

One of the most remarkable changes came immediately.

After 45 years of smoking a pack and a half a day, Samantha quit the day of her heart attack - and hasn’t smoked since.

“It wasn’t even hard,” she said. “I wouldn’t have quit if this hadn’t happened. But now I can’t stand the smell.”

Her heart attack also brought an unexpected life transition. After 35 years running an in-home daycare, she retired earlier than planned. While the adjustment was emotional, it opened the door to more time with her grandchildren - something she now treasures deeply.

“My life did a 180,” she said. “But being able to spend time with my grandkids has been a blessing.”

She also completed cardiac rehabilitation at Ozarks Healthcare, steadily rebuilding her strength. Follow-up testing showed her heart function had improved to a normal 55%.

Shelby, who works in healthcare herself, remembers the fear of that day - and the overwhelming gratitude she felt seeing the team respond so quickly.

“So many people showed up,” she said. “I’m just so thankful for them.”

Women, especially, may experience symptoms differently - including unusual fatigue, arm discomfort, nausea, or simply feeling unwell. If something doesn’t feel right, seek care immediately.

“I don’t know how I knew,” Samantha said. “But I knew I had to get to the hospital.”

Because she did, she has a second chance - and a story that may help save someone else’s life.

If you are experiencing chest discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness, or unexplained fatigue, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately. Quick action can save your life.