James
ven after 46 years on the force, former White Plains Deputy Police and Fire Commissioner James Bradley remained steadfastly committed to public service and didn’t let much slow him down.
That’s why, in July of 2019, he reported to work as usual despite experiencing severe back pain. It was only at his wife Robin’s insistence that he later drove himself to a local urgent care.
“I could see from their faces that he was clearly having a heart attack.”
Robin Bradley
"My wife said that I don't know that anybody could have actually saved your life, but they did."
Doctors at a nearby hospital placed stents in James’s heart. But hours later, when he suffered a second, massive heart attack, his doctors recommended moving him to Montefiore Einstein.
“The cardiologists there said, ‘I have this patient here, he’s very sick.’ And I said, ‘Just bring him over right away.’”
Dr. Ulrich Jorde
“He was lucky that hospital has that relationship with us. Not every hospital can do everything for everybody. That’s key.”
Dr. Daniel Goldstein
At Montefiore Einstein, doctors Ulrich Jorde and Daniel Goldstein implanted a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to assist James’s heart muscle in pumping blood throughout his body. It was a complicated procedure, made more difficult by James’s precarious physical state.
“We’re in limbo of okay, is he going to make it? Or is he not going to make it?”
Robin Bradley
James was in a medically induced coma for over a month, but he pulled through. And over time, with significant physical and occupational therapy at Burke Rehabilitation Center, he began to heal. In fact, James’s recovery was one for the record books. One year after he first received the device, his team of doctors determined that James’s heart function was back to near normal.
“And then the second miracle is that his heart recovers.”
Dr. Daniel Goldstein
“We said, ‘Wow, maybe this heart can work on its own.’”
Dr. Ulrich Jorde
James underwent a procedure at Montefiore Einstein to permanently disconnect his LVAD device – an outcome that is exceedingly rare.
“This is a Mecca for heart transplant, LVAD and heart failure… not many centers in this country could’ve pulled Mr. Bradley out of this like we have.”
Dr. Daniel Goldstein
“The fact that Commissioner Bradley is alive and well today without the need for mechanical support or a heart transplant is nothing but extraordinary. It takes two to tango, but it takes a few hundred to do something like this.”
Dr. Ulrich Jorde
“I don’t know that I ever would’ve survived if I wasn’t at Montefiore.”
After four decades of public service, Jim is happily retired. He spends his days with family, doing the things he loves and never forgetting how very lucky he is to be alive.
“We received a gift. And I intend to make use of this gift. I really do.”
Meet Dr. Ulrich P. Jorde
Section Head, Heart Failure,
Cardiac Transplantation and
Mechanical Circulatory Support
Meet Dr. Daniel Goldstein
Professor, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
Vice Chairman, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
Director, Mechanical Assistance Program
Co-Director, Center for Advanced Cardiac Therapy
Surgical Director of Cardiac Transplantation
