Cat owner’s blood pressure hit 224/110 during a massive heart attack — until one thought about his beloved pet calmed his vitals and left a nurse stun
A man who survived a massive heart attack credits his life to his pet cat. Struggling with dangerously high blood pressure, he was rushed to the emergency room on January 19, 2025. While the doctors fought tooth and nail to save his life, the man could only think of his furry companion. Justin Jones, a cat owner who has built an online presence for his cat named Jack, had a particular thought about him that ended up saving his life.
Justin lay on his hospital bed, fighting for his life in the middle of a heart attack. The readings on the monitor near his bed left him shocked. His blood pressure had hit 224/110, but all he cared about was who was going to take care of his cats. According to the American Heart Association, a blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg is considered a hypertensive crisis and requires immediate medical attention. The high BP level causes life-threatening risks such as a stroke or organ damage. Amidst the crisis, the owner suddenly requested the nurse to hand him his phone so he could message people to take care of his cats.
“It was all I could think about. And then one of the nurses started putting the ‘shock you back to life paddles’ on my chest and back,” he wrote in the caption of the post shared on Instagram, under the handle, @justin_and_jack. The owner realized he might not have much time left and put his phone down. He closed his eyes to start thanking the universe for every experience, especially the love of his cat. “I started thinking about Jack, and how grateful I was to have experienced his love, and this crazy adventure he had taken me on. I was grateful for having found [sic] my purpose,” Justin penned. He also claimed to have thought of his loyal online followers, who had supported him throughout his journey as a cat owner. A while later, he whispered out loud, saying, “Thank you.”
Suddenly, the nurse’s voice hinted at an unexpected event that saved his life. Justin was surprised when the nurse asked him to continue doing whatever he was doing that had managed to calm his vitals. “I was just being thankful for the experience,” he told the nurse. His blood pressure had lowered to 150/94, giving him another shot at life, all because he cherished Jack’s love. The owner was rushed to the surgery room, and it’s been a journey ever since.
On April 9, 2025, Justin expressed gratitude for having survived the storm and for his beloved orange cat in the viral post shared on his joint account with his cat. “It’s my 48th birthday today, and the reason I’m here is because of a little orange cat named Jack,” an overlay text hinted. Meanwhile, the video, which featured glimpses of Jack showing affection for his owner, warmed hearts with 1.9 million views.
You can follow @justin_and_jack on Instagram for more videos.