“A serious heart problem almost stopped me. I put my heart in their hands.”

Suffering from low back pain, 63-year old Otis Brown saw his primary care physician and the doctor ordered an MRI. It revealed he had two thoracic aortic aneurysms, and he needed to find a cardiovascular specialist right away. “I knew I had to go to the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) for evaluation. I’ve received excellent care throughout my life from the DMC. Otis met with Kenton Zehr, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and Executive Director of DMC's Heart Hospital and cardiovascular service line. As soon as Otis met Dr. Zehr, he felt confident in his choice for treatment. “Dr. Zehr was thorough, and explained it in simple terms. His expertise gave me confidence. I trusted him. It was personal care, not an assembly line,” said Otis.

Otis has been tap dancing since he was 25 and is now an instructor, teaching adults and kids. Otis shared, “I was scared I would never be able to tap dance again. I told Dr. Zehr that when I finish this, I need to get back to tap dancing. It’s what I do. I needed him to get me ready for my next performance.” Through an extensive surgery, Dr. Zehr repaired the aneurysms and today Otis is back to tap dancing, teaching and performing. “Dr. Zehr and the DMC team came through for me. I put my heart in their hands, and I got my voice back,” said Otis. He added, “I tell everyone to see a cardiologist if they’re at risk for heart disease. Make an appointment and see a heart specialist. You have to monitor your symptoms and take care of your own heart health.”