Ralph

Atrial fibrillation

From heart diagnosis to full throttle: Ralph’s comeback story

After transforming his health to compete in the 2023 Waka Ama Sprint Nationals, a sudden medical scare revealed a serious heart condition – one that tested his resilience but ultimately reignited his energy for life. Now, post-surgery and thriving, Ralph shares his journey and advice that could help others going through similar challenges.

A dedicated father, grandfather and educator, Ralph’s last three decades have centred around his family, Whangārei community, education and wellbeing.

As the proud deputy principal at Whangārei Girls’ High School, and with previous experience in mental health and health promotion within the public health sector, he has become an inspiring leader in his community.

“I’ve always had a passion for working with our kids and waka ama has been that vehicle for us, and teaching and learning with our kids and that kind of thing,” Ralph says.

Wanting a change in his own personal health, the keen paddler dropped 20kg to aid his quest to be a top performer for his waka ama over 50s crew.

“We do a lot of community work outside of our day jobs. Waka ama has aided that. Waka ama is our life.”

But it was a medical event while attending a waka ama competition that would impact Ralph’s health and see him diagnosed with a heart condition.

Heart scare while away at Waka Ama Nationals

In the build up to the Nationals in 2023, Ralph had worked on his own health and wellbeing.

“Leading up to the event I had done a whole lot of work. I'd lost 20kg and wanted to be in our top men’s team.

“I changed my diet. I did a lot of training and felt great.”

Ralph thought he was in great health and had no warning signs something was wrong.

While in Cambridge at the pools with his family and tamariki teams he coaches, Ralph was preparing a BBQ. 

Then it hit.

“I don't know what happened, but I just had this massive headache. It was really strange because I've never felt that kind of headache before.

“I thought I’d jump in the pool to cool down and I should be all good.”

But it made it worse.

“I told my wife I don’t feel too good. I felt like I was just going to fall over or faint. She got a bit worried.

“I just lay on the grass and curled up in a ball and stayed there until we were ready to go. I was still conscious, but I kind of felt like everything was happening around me that I had no control over. That’s when I was rushed to Hamilton hospital.”

Discharge from hospital

While at hospital, Ralph said staff had no major concerns about his health. 

The grandfather of seven was discharged and told he was just dehydrated, a diagnosis that didn’t sit right with his wife, Auriole.

“Because of the health journey I was on, I knew I was drinking water all the time and had electrolytes. But they just sent me home and didn’t run any tests.”

The next day his wife got in contact with a friend of his who was a doctor. The friend soon came back and told him to go to Whangārei Hospital once he returned from Cambridge.

He said "I’m not happy with what happened at the hospital. I’ve booked you in at Whangārei Hospital as soon as you get back, and we’ll go from there because it doesn’t sound like it was dehydration.”

Return to hospital and atrial fibrillation diagnosis

Feeling lethargic, Ralph went back to hospital on his return to Whangārei.

That was when the realisation that something was wrong started to sink in.

“I didn't realise, but my heart rate was down to between 20 and 30 beats per minute. I didn’t know what it meant. They moved me to the front so they could keep an eye on me at all times.

“They said your heart rate is really really low and we need to do a whole lot of tests.

“After the tests they said I had atrial fibrillation [AF]. Usually that means the heart is racing, but mine was the opposite. It was really low.”

From there, Ralph and the medical team worked through both a medication plan and next steps on how to deal with his atrial fibrillation.

“The plan was to jump start the heart, the shock of the heart – electrical cardioversion.”

Ralph was put under sedation, but doctors cancelled it last minute as his heart went back into rhythm on its own. 

It only lasted two weeks before his heart rate was back to fluctuating.

The rest of 2023 felt like a blur, Ralph says, with numerous appointments but little progress.

“I was fatigued all the time. I was waiting on appointments then having to do follow ups to see what was next or what medication I needed to go on to regulate my heart rate. 

“I’d go to work and just do what I could. By 3.30pm I’d be home in bed.”

Ralph credits his workplace for helping him through, explaining the principal was extremely supportive by allowing him to take time off, finish early or have downtime during the day to rest.

By late 2023, things started moving when the cardiologist in Auckland reached out. 

“They discussed me having an ablation procedure.”

Ablation procedure and return to normal life

In early January 2024, Ralph had his ablation surgery, a procedure that uses heat or cold to create tiny scars on the heart’s tissue to block abnormal electrical signals that cause an irregular heartbeat.

He says the impact was instant.

“It’s like night and day difference, like almost instant.”

“Even when I had come out of the operation, my wife and brother saw the colour back in my face straight away. The next day when we left, I did a little video and just felt awesome, you know?”

In the three months post-operation, the proud grandfather was soon off all medication and back to living a normal life.

“I had dropped another 7kg since the procedure and I was just living life hard out.

“I used to tell people that I was feeling tired all the time. I’d crash out when I had to run around after my mokopuna [grandkids]. I was too fatigued and tired. It felt like I was in a dream. Now adjusting was easy because I felt alive again.

“Being active and being able to run around with them and play ball with them and paddle with them – it means everything to me.”

Ralph’s advice for dealing with heart issues

While Ralph feels on top of the world, he admits there were difficult times.

But he praises the support of his wife, Auriole, who was there no matter what and his network for pushing him to seek answers. He says the biggest thing you can do is self-advocate and make sure you let your whānau and friends know what is going on so they can support when you need it most.

“I think it’s definitely being the squeaky wheel. Things like following up on appointments, and even if there are no appointments, just ringing and saying what’s going on, what’s happening?

“I think just not sitting back and waiting and making things happen for yourself. I think the other biggest thing is having support systems around you.”