It was supposed to be a routine wind-down after an exhausting night on the fire line.
On the evening of Oct. 17, 2025, Eunice Fire Chief Chaise Brown and his crew spent hours battling multiple structure fires. By the time the scenes were cleared around 5 a.m. the next day, Brown gathered the team for breakfast at Waffle House before heading home to unwind with his family.
Later that day, Brown, then 43, ate hot dogs for lunch with his daughter Adley, 17, and son Kainon, 15. Moments later he started to feel what he initially thought was indigestion.
“I’ve had acid reflux issues in the past, so I thought it was happening again,” said Brown, who turned 44 earlier this month. “I tried to move around. I went for a walk in my yard because I thought that would help relieve it. Then, I felt a pain in my left arm. That’s when I knew this wasn’t indigestion.”
His own instincts and his experience as a first responder told him he needed medical attention quickly. There was a part of him that hoped the sensation would pass and things would be fine. Then, he thought of his children relaxing inside just a few feet away.
“If my kids hadn’t been home, I’d probably be dead right now,” Brown admitted. “I can be hard-headed, and I could have seen myself letting it linger and hoping it went away. But, I knew I needed help. I didn’t want my kids to find me dead in the front yard.”
His daughter drove him to a Eunice hospital, where he was admitted overnight. The following morning, doctors transferred him to FMOL Health | Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital for further testing. Physicians there confirmed Brown suffered a heart attack. What came next was completely unexpected.
During an angiogram – an X-ray procedure used to detect aneurysms, tumors or blockages in the arteries, Dr. Chance DeWitt, cardiothoracic surgeon with Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, discovered Brown had an anomalous right coronary artery, a rare hereditary defect that had been present since birth. In patients with this condition, blood vessels that supply the heart have an abnormal shape, origin or location.
“The right coronary artery normally originates from a pouchlike structure just above the aortic valve,” Dr. DeWitt explained. “In an anomalous RCA, it arises from an abnormal location or takes an unusual path, which can sometimes restrict blood flow, especially during physical activity.”
A heart attack and the discovery of a birth defect impacting his circulatory system last fall nearly claimed the life of Eunice Fire Chief Chaise Brown. Days after surgery, Brown carried his own bags out of the hospital and returned to work full-time.
Overall coronary artery anomalies affect less than 1.5 percent of people who undergo angiography, Dr. DeWitt noted. The anomalous right coronary artery is the most common of these defects, affecting only about 0.17 percent to 0.25 percent of patients who are diagnosed.
Brown said he never panicked but was surprised and a bit fearful when doctors told him that he needed emergency open-heart surgery.
“The nurse saw my reaction and immediately said, ‘You’re okay. We’ve got you.’ That made me feel comfortable. I knew I was in good hands,” he said. “Someone was by my side the whole time and explaining everything that was happening. They always made sure I was doing okay. They were angels sent from God.”
After surgery, Brown embarked on a rapid recovery. He was feeling so good that he was handling minor work tasks from his hospital bed. Four days after the operation, he walked out of Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital carrying his own bags to his vehicle.
Brown is grateful that his healing went well, he said, making it possible for him to work from home and walk or run up to three miles a day in just a few weeks. Several weeks ago, he returned to work full-time at the fire station, where he is surrounded by colleagues who kept things going in his absence.
“When I was still on the operating table, the guys at work were making sure that my medical bills were covered,” he said. “They took care of everything. They made sure my kids were okay. These guys even went to my house to cut my grass. At work, they oversaw the paperwork and day-to-day operations. They have truly been unbelievable.”
As an experienced first responder, Brown witnessed heart attacks in people of all ages, even high school athletes. Yet, he always thought it wouldn’t happen to him. Looking back, he recalls being more fatigued than usual in the months before his heart attack, especially compared to how well he feels now. Dr. DeWitt noted that extreme physical exertion or stress – such as firefighting – can cause constriction of anomalous coronary arteries, potentially leading to ischemia, a heart attack or even sudden death.
“It is extremely important for someone to go to the hospital if they feel like they are having a possible heart attack,” Dr. DeWitt said. “Classic symptoms include chest pain or pressure, pain radiating up into the jaw or arms, sweating, nausea and vomiting. Sometimes, persistent indigestion-type symptoms can be associated with heart attacks. The earlier you can get care, the more likely your heart attack or coronary blockage could be treated, limiting the amount of damage done to the heart.”
Discover life-saving tips, learn about the latest treatment options available locally and take a FREE Heart Health Risk Assessment at LourdesRMC.com/heart.
