When Richard A. Thompson III navigates through hospital halls or grounds, accompanied by families coping with the injuries, ailments, or loss of loved ones, he provides a comforting presence. Sitting by patients’ bedsides and often holding their hands, he connects with those experiencing both physical and emotional distress. “My role can be demanding, yet immensely fulfilling,” said Thompson, a licensed and certified chaplain in Waco, Texas, whose ministry extends to the local hospital and police department. “Everything I have experienced has equipped me for what I do now.” Over the past 17 years, Thompson has faced several serious cardiovascular health challenges, including a transient ischemic attack (TIA or mini-stroke), an aortic dissection, and an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Rather than viewing these episodes as misfortunes, he chooses to celebrate three pivotal dates each year, considering them birthdays that hold significance alongside his actual birthday on March 1, 1957. “I commemorate all four of them annually,” Thompson noted with enthusiasm.

His first significant health scare occurred in 2007 during a potluck lunch with colleagues and fellow school bus drivers in Pike Township, Indiana. Friends noticed his unusual silence, as the typically vibrant Thompson was not eating or engaging in conversation. Recognizing the classic signs of a stroke, with slurred speech and a drooping facial expression, his colleagues called for an ambulance. Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with a TIA, a condition resulting from a temporary blockage of blood flow in the brain. Fortunately, he was treated and released after a few days, returning home and managing to resume much of his normal life.

However, a year later, severe back pain, which he described as “110 on a scale of 1 to 100,” sent him back to the emergency room. After examinations, he was found to have a tear in the aorta where it exits the heart, a life-threatening condition known as an ascending thoracic aortic dissection. A lengthy 12-hour surgery successfully addressed the issue, but not without consequences—he spent nine days in a coma. “I later found out my family was informed that if I survived that first night, I could end up in a vegetative state,” Thompson recounted. This date, October 24, 2008, marked the first of his non-birthday birthdays.

In the aftermath of this incident, Thompson had to cope with the loss of his dream job as a commercial bus driver and the energy needed to serve in the church he established, where he held multiple roles including pastor and maintenance staff. Although he was disheartened, he remained thankful for his life, leaning heavily on his faith and the support of his family, particularly his wife Renita, son Brandon, and granddaughter Nadia. For the next two years, he managed to navigate these challenges, but then he faced another serious health setback: an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This new condition required a surgical intervention on June 24, 2010, which he now recognizes as his second non-birthday birthday.

The surgery wasn’t without complications; Thompson developed severe pancreatitis that made it impossible to eat normally, resulting in him needing a feeding tube for six months. A separate procedure to insert a stent in his bile duct led to complications, including a near-fatal bout of sepsis. Yet Renita observed, “He is a determined man, and he is never going to give up.” In 2010 alone, Richard spent nearly all but three weeks hospitalized. After regaining enough strength for rehabilitation, he adopted a healthier diet, focusing on fresh produce, lean proteins, and whole grains rather than processed foods.

Although he felt improved for a time, his health declined again, culminating in what he considers the third of his non-birthday birthdays on March 24, 2014. This significant surgery was extensive enough to require 92 staples to close the incision. Initially aimed at repairing an artery from the heart to the lower stomach, it became necessary to also remove a stent from his bile duct that had been causing further illness.

Against the odds, Richard eventually returned to work as a security guard at a mall. His increased mobility contributed to both weight loss and improved heart health. He also accomplished earning a master of divinity degree, graduating magna cum laude, all while facing a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2018. Consistent follow-ups with his cardiologist began every three months and eventually transitioned to every year. However, after moving to Waco in 2020, an imaging test revealed a new aneurysm in his groin, which was treated early the following April.

Thompson remains hopeful and spirited amidst his health challenges. He continuously expresses that life is a gift; in his perspective, there is always a path forward from what may appear to be dead ends, and even the darkest circumstances have their silver linings. Reflecting on his experiences, he mused that his health struggles may have influenced both of his daughters to pursue careers in nursing. “He never demonstrated any fear to me,” Renita shared. “Though there were moments when I felt overwhelmed, he remained steadfast. He’s like the Energizer Bunny; he just keeps going.” The journeys of heart disease and stroke survivors, including Thompson, offer powerful narratives filled with resilience and hope.