Miracle Moment: Jose Ledezma on surviving Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

You know the old saying “To wear your heart on your sleeve”? That’s how Jose Ledezma wears his faith.

“I look at every day as a gift,” said Ledezma.

When WINK News reporter Amanda Hall caught up with Ledezma and his cardiologist at Galisano Children’s Hospital, she couldn’t help but notice his shirt with a verse from the book of John on the back: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

Jose’s truth?

“The doctors told me I can drop dead at any moment,” said Ledezma, “But here I am right now.”

Two years ago, when Jose was 16, doctors diagnosed him with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

It was discovered by chance after Jose went to the doctor for stomach issues.

“Right before I left, they said, you know, let’s just take a listen to your heart,” said Ledezma, “and they told me I had a small heart murmur; they could barely hear it, but they said they could hear it enough where they were concerned.”

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease that causes the heart muscle to be abnormally thick, making it hard for the heart to pump blood.

Dr. Eric Eason said Jose’s heart was thick enough that he was considered high-risk and required surgery.

“And so they get what’s called an intracardiac defibrillator, and it’s a wire that goes inside the heart, and it looks for dangerous arrhythmias,” said Eason, “and if it finds one that will deliver some electricity, to block that rhythm or to treat it, and that that’s life-saving in the situation.”

“I’m not gonna be this macho guy and say, you know, I wasn’t scared,” said Ledezma. “I’ll admit to everybody, I was very, very scared.”

Today, Jose is doing well and he says God laid something on his heart.

Ledezma is studying to become a pastor; he even has a YouTube channel dedicated to spreading his message.

“There’s a miracle me being here right now,” said Ledezma, “and I believe that’s by the grace of God.”