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My Heart Beats Still: Surviving and Learning to Live Again
Matthew Wood didn't know his phone was recording when his heart stopped beating. He found out two days later, watching the footage from a hospital bed.
On January 16, 2023--just two months after surviving a heart attack--Matt's heart stopped again. His husband, Kenyon, heard him fall, raced downstairs, called 911, and performed CPR for over five minutes. Paramedics shocked Matt's heart seven times. In his city, fewer than six percent of people survive what he survived.
My Heart Beats Still is that story--and the one underneath it--a marriage that held when everything else gave way. A man learning to live again in a body and a life that no longer felt like his own. Wood is honest about depression, PTSD, and the uneven road back. It's a story told with humor, hope, and a love that showed up exactly when it mattered. You are not just reading about a heart that stopped, but one that kept going.
On January 16, 2023--just two months after surviving a heart attack--Matt's heart stopped again. His husband, Kenyon, heard him fall, raced downstairs, called 911, and performed CPR for over five minutes. Paramedics shocked Matt's heart seven times. In his city, fewer than six percent of people survive what he survived.
My Heart Beats Still is that story--and the one underneath it--a marriage that held when everything else gave way. A man learning to live again in a body and a life that no longer felt like his own. Wood is honest about depression, PTSD, and the uneven road back. It's a story told with humor, hope, and a love that showed up exactly when it mattered. You are not just reading about a heart that stopped, but one that kept going.
273 pages, Paperback
Published October 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 8, 2026
I found My Heart Beats Still to be an incredibly moving and meaningful read. As a co-survivor whose husband also survived sudden cardiac arrest, Matt’s story felt especially close to home. I recognized how an event like this changes life not only for the person whose heart stops, but also for the person beside them.
Matt shares his experience surviving a heart attack and then sudden cardiac arrest, along with the long and complicated road that followed. His story captures how surviving is only the beginning: recovery can bring fear, emotional struggles, and the challenge of finding your way forward after life has changed so suddenly.
Matt’s story with Kenyon was especially touching. Kenyon’s quick response helped save Matt’s life, and Matt gives space to the impact the experience had on both of them and their relationship. Their story reminded me of how much the love and actions of a co-survivor matter in those terrifying moments and in the journey afterward.
What stayed with me most was the way Matt has turned such a life changing experience into a desire to help others. His honesty makes the book feel personal and real, while his advocacy and generosity give it a hopeful note. I finished it with an even greater appreciation for survivors and co-survivors, and for the importance of CPR and AED awareness. I highly recommend it.
Matt shares his experience surviving a heart attack and then sudden cardiac arrest, along with the long and complicated road that followed. His story captures how surviving is only the beginning: recovery can bring fear, emotional struggles, and the challenge of finding your way forward after life has changed so suddenly.
Matt’s story with Kenyon was especially touching. Kenyon’s quick response helped save Matt’s life, and Matt gives space to the impact the experience had on both of them and their relationship. Their story reminded me of how much the love and actions of a co-survivor matter in those terrifying moments and in the journey afterward.
What stayed with me most was the way Matt has turned such a life changing experience into a desire to help others. His honesty makes the book feel personal and real, while his advocacy and generosity give it a hopeful note. I finished it with an even greater appreciation for survivors and co-survivors, and for the importance of CPR and AED awareness. I highly recommend it.
October 28, 2026
Adrianne and I are Matt's friends, and never really understood until we read his book!
We watched the events from a distance and tried to understand and support Matt and Kenyon. The book is a wonderful insight into Matt's experiences and serves as a tool for others racing the same challenges. We are updating our CPR qualifications ASAP.
We watched the events from a distance and tried to understand and support Matt and Kenyon. The book is a wonderful insight into Matt's experiences and serves as a tool for others racing the same challenges. We are updating our CPR qualifications ASAP.
November 14, 2026
I bought this book to support my friends Matt and Kenyon, and walked away with so much more. Everyone should read this and take to heart (pun intended )the knowledge and feelings that are within its pages. The bravery that is shown throughout is something we can all learn from. Matt showed great courage in talking about their personal life after his SCA. I am extremely moved by this. Many people portray their lives as to how they want to be perceived instead of what is truly going on. Thank you for being the examples we can all aspire to live up to. I will read this book more than once and gift it to many.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews