After Three Heart Episodes, the ‘Voice of Legion Field’ is a Walking Miracle

By Sharron Swain | Bham Now In 2021, Keith Mims’ family had his funeral programs printed. 95 days later, he emerged from the hospital as a walking miracle. Keep reading for his story, along with expert advice from a Brookwood Baptist Health cardiothoracic surgeon on steps you can take to avoid ending up on the operating table. Meet Keith Mims If Keith Mims seems familiar, you may have heard him hosting his own sports show on Summit Media or announcing football games. For years, he announced at Legion Field and for the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Then in 2019, he developed chest pains and started sweating and vomiting. He quickly called 911 and told the operator “I think I’m having a heart attack; I’ll leave the door open.” That turned out to be the first of three major heart episodes. Doctors at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center treated the first two with heart catheterizations, but the third was a matter of life or death. Open heart surgery This time, Mims’ doctors told him he’d have to have open heart surgery. Ultimately, Mims had a quadruple bypass followed by 65 days in the main hospital, plus another month of inpatient rehab....