About four-and-a-half years ago, Daryl Bundy considered himself a “ticking time bomb.”
Doctors had recently diagnosed the Leland real estate broker with an ascending aortic aneurysm, a serious — and life-threatening — condition that likely resulted from his heart having a bicuspid valve instead of a tricuspid valve.
“So that made that valve work a little harder and made my heart work a little less efficiently,” he said.
At the time, the aortic aneurysm wasn’t large enough that surgeons would consider operating on it. Bundy’s aneurysm measured only 5.1 centimeters, and for men, surgical intervention is not typically recommended until it reaches 5.5 centimeters. Instead, physicians would monitor the condition through imaging.
But Bundy does not have
health insurance; instead, he participates in a health sharing plan through Samaritan Ministries, which allows its members to share the cost of medical bills.
“So, there are some limitations as far as testing,” he said.
He noted that while he “had one or two more scans,” he did not have regular testing for his condition. As a result, dealing with the emotions of his condition was a challenge.
“When I mow the lawn, will it be the last time I mow the lawn?” he explained. “That’s kind of the essence of those four and a half years.”
But despite the concern, Bundy said, for the most part, he changed little about the way he lived.
“Well, I couldn’t ride rollercoasters anymore,” he said with a smile. “That was disappointing.”
But his life remained pretty much the same.
“I’m a man of faith, so you just trust God, and you live your life reasonably and don’t push it too much," he said.
Then in 2025, Bundy noticed that he became very tired, often waking up in the morning and wanting to return to his bed to sleep. Months later, he began to get radiating pains in his chest and left arm, which led him to undergo a stress test in April 2026.
Bundy was unable to complete the test. The nurses sent him to the emergency room at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center. From there, he was transported to New Hanover where he was diagnosed with coronary artery disease.
Dr. George McLeod, a cardiovascular surgeon, completed the bypass and repaired Bundy's valve and aneurysm on April 9, 2026.
Bundy had high praises for McLeod and all the staff who took care of him.
“God used the Novant team to save my life,” Bundy said.
Months after the surgery, Bundy expressed his gratitude to McLeod, noting that he didn’t know how to say thank you for all he had done.
McLeod noted that hearing about the things Bundy is doing — spending time with family and friends and playing the keyboard at church — is all the thanks he needs.
“One of the reasons that we do what we do is so that a patient can continue living their best life," McLeod said.
And that’s just what Bundy intends to do.
Renee Spencer is the community engagement editor at the StarNews. Reach her at rspencer@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Leland man with 'ticking time bomb' heart condition is now thriving
