Mending Hearts: Danny Romary Turns Struggle Into Service

Mended Hearts®, a national nonprofit organization, partners with hospitals and healthcare organizations to provide peer-to-peer support for heart patients and their families. Trained volunteers, who are often heart patients or survivors themselves, visit with patients before and after cardiac surgery or procedures to offer encouragement, share experiences and show that recovery is possible.  

A Full Circle

A few years ago, Danny Romary was the one lying in a hospital room after a cardiac event, grappling with a life-changing diagnosis. Like many heart patients, he found himself in a world of uncertainty, fear and endless questions about what comes next. He was then introduced to a Mended Hearts volunteer and learned through those interactions and experiences that his recovery could be more than just feeling better. It could be passed on to others who needed the same boost, connection and reassurance.  

After completing his recovery two years ago, Danny now volunteers with Mended Hearts® at CaroMont Regional Medical Center.

Encouragement is the Best Medicine

While Danny has a powerful personal story of survival, he is deliberate in how he uses it, or more precisely, in how often he sets it aside.  

"When I'm visiting a heart patient, it is not about me and my story. It is about them,” Danny said. “I remember being worried about what came next for me. If I can be present in our interaction and listen more than I speak, I think I’ve done a good job.”

Danny Romary, Mended Hearts® Volunteer at CaroMont Regional Medical Center, visits with patients regularly to provide information, hope and connection.

His goal is not to share his own story, but to make the person in front of him feel seen, heard and hopeful. This is what made a difference for him during his recovery and motivates him to now as a Mended Hearts volunteer. 

"Every patient is different," he said. "Every situation is different. What helped me may not be what someone else needs. So, I follow their lead. I try to start with encouragement first. Before anything else, they need to know that they are not alone and there is a path forward.”  

Prescribing Hope

Researchers and clinicians have recognized the role that hope and human connection can play a role in cardiac recovery. Patients who feel emotionally supported often experience better outcomes, shorter recovery times and reduced rates of anxiety and depression. 

Danny may not carry a stethoscope, but his presence is therapeutic. He is proof that healing is not solely a medical process. Sometimes, the most powerful medicine is a familiar face and the quiet assurance that recovery is possible. 

Two years into his recovery, Danny remains actively engaged in his own health while giving countless hours to CaroMont Health's volunteer program. For him, volunteering is a source of purpose.