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Citrus County man shocked into new frame of existence after heart stopped 19 times: ‘Dying is easy’

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Published  June 26, 2025 4:43pm EDT
Citrus County
FOX 13 News
Man revived 19 times after heart stopped

Man revived 19 times after heart stopped

A Citrus County man is touting a message of living a heart healthy lifestyle after his heart stopped 19 times a year ago due to congestive heart failure. FOX 13’s Evan Axelbank reports.

The Brief

    • A Citrus County man whose heart stopped 19 times due to congestive heart failure is spreading the word about heart health.
    • Nurses at Tampa General Hospital put Jason Shedden on a life support system that breathes and pumps blood. They also had to amputate his right leg at the shin, and the toes on his left foot, because his circulation had deteriorated so much.
    • This week, Shedden got a round of applause from TGH staffers as he celebrated one year since his life wasn’t just changed but extended.

TAMPA, Fla. - A Citrus County man who claims to have died nearly 20 times wants everyone to take cardiovascular health seriously. 

The backstory:

If you want to buy a lotto ticket, maybe ask Jason Shedden of Citrus County.

Doctors say that nearly a year ago, his heart stopped 19 times before he was resuscitated. 

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"I don't really remember the trip to the hospital," he said.

When he hears about those grim days in July of last year, when congestive heart failure stopped his heart not once, not twice, but nineteen times, it's enough to shock him into a new frame of existence.

"After dying 19 times, a lot goes through your mind," he said. "I'm here for a reason. I don't know what that reason is yet, but I'm here."

Dig deeper:

Nurses and doctors at Tampa General Hospital quite literally didn't let him die, putting him on a life support system that breathes and pumps blood. 

They also had to amputate his right leg at the shin, and the toes on his left foot, because his circulation had deteriorated so much.

What they're saying:

"If you don't love your life, like you're about to die the next day, what's the point of living it?" he asked.

His mission now, aside from spending time with his kids and working, is to spread the word about heart health.

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"Life's great," he said. "I got my business back up and running again.

"I don't think I've ever had a patient that coded that many times and survived," shared his cardiologist Dr. Guilherme Oliveira of TGH.

He says Shedden’s story showcases the importance of training in CPR and in making heart health a full-time job.

"We eat the wrong stuff. We don't exercise enough," he said. "A lot of people still smoke. They still vape. They use drugs. They used excessive amounts of alcohol. And all of the things are preventable."

One-year anniversary:

Shedden recently went back to TGH for a quick exam. 

The real purpose was the applause he got from the staff, who marked one year since his life wasn't just changed but extended.

"Dying is easy, living a good life is a little more difficult," he said.

The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Evan Axelbank.

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