11/24/2025
As a specialized tactical team officer and paramedic for the NJ Transit Police Department, Paul was no stranger to physical exertion and stress. So, when he began feeling winded during routine fitness training, he chalked it up to his age, poor sleep, demanding work, and time devoted to his wife and two energetic kids at home. After persistent symptoms and extreme chest pressure, Paul went to Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center, where tests revealed severe aortic stenosis and a bicuspid aortic valve restricting blood flow from his heart. Under the care of Dr. Benjamin van Boxtel and the team at the Atlantic Aortic Center at Morristown Medical Center, Paul underwent the Ross procedure — replacing his failing aortic valve with his own pulmonary valve, followed by aortic root reconstruction and aneurysm repair.
Paul was discharged from the hospital within a week, cleared to begin cardiac rehabilitation. Now, nearly a year post-op, he’s back to full active duty — no restrictions, coaching T-ball, and back in the gym. Read his story: https://bit.ly/443cmhx
