Heart Procedure Allows Horse Rescuer to Resume His Passion
December 18, 2025
At 3 Sisters Forever Rescue, a 12-acre farm and horse rescue in the Freehold area, 75-year-old Bill Walker jokes that his job is “CEO of Manure Management.”
Bill spends his days driving a tractor and, yes, shoveling and moving manure produced by the half-dozen or so older horses that live at the farm. He also repairs fences, upgrades the barn as needed, and seeds and fertilizes the property.
It’s a physically demanding job. Bill is used to being on the move — he’s a longtime bicycle rider, retired government employee and military veteran. But in early 2025, he noticed he was becoming short of breath while tending the farm. “I didn’t have a lot of energy,” he says. He knew something was wrong.
Diagnostic Heart Testing
Bill went to his cardiologist, Gregory Noto, M.D., to discuss his symptoms. Besides fatigue and shortness of breath, Bill had also noticed a burning sensation in his chest while he was moving around outdoors in cold weather. (That’s not unusual for those with angina, or chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Low temperatures can cause blood vessels to narrow and make the heart work harder.)
Dr. Noto ordered diagnostic tests. They showed that Bill had blockages in the coronary arteries supplying blood to his heart. He also had aortic stenosis — a narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart, restricting blood flow. Both could be treated with heart surgery.
A Heart Procedure from Leading Experts
Dr. Noto referred Bill to cardiothoracic surgeon David L. Johnson, M.D., at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Based on Dr. Noto’s findings, a heart procedure was scheduled. “The decision was made to pursue both a triple bypass and a valve replacement as one open-heart surgery,” Dr. Johnson says.
For each bypass, Dr. Johnson took a blood vessel from another part of Bill’s body and attached it to the coronary artery above and below the blockages. During the same heart surgery, he replaced Bill’s aortic valve.
The hospital does a large volume of coronary artery bypass surgeries, aortic valve surgeries and other heart procedures, Dr. Johnson says. “We’re one of the leading centers for open-heart surgery in New Jersey.”
Bill spent just over a week recovering and being monitored in the hospital. His partner, Lisa, and three adult sons took shifts visiting him and managing duties at the farm.
Bill emphasizes that he can’t say enough positive things about his hospital stay. “I was thoroughly
impressed with the medical team, the accommodations and the nursing team’s attention to whatever I needed after my heart procedure,” he says. Dr. Johnson visited nearly every day.
After Open-Heart Surgery
Following his heart surgery and hospitalization, Bill spent two weeks at a rehabilitation facility. Then he went home and continued to work on recovery.
“I walked around the house; I walked up and down the driveway,” he says. “I started with a walker, and then a cane, and got better and better at it.”
Six weeks after open-heart surgery, Bill was walking a half-mile a day. At a follow-up appointment, Dr. Johnson recommended that he also attend sessions at an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation facility. Bill “graduated” after three months — and lost 40 pounds along the way.
Today, Bill rides his bike 10 to 15 miles a day and walks his dog, Charlie, at least a half-mile. He’s also back to keeping things going at the farm, a nonprofit Lisa started in 2015. They and other volunteers care for the horses as well as rescued cats and wild animals such as turkeys and deer. Over the years, the horses have participated in Operation HOPE, providing equine-assisted psychotherapy for first responders and for teens and adults with behavioral health issues.
“Caring for these horses means a tremendous amount to me,” Bill says. “I’m grateful to my care team at Jersey Shore for enabling me to get back to work.”
Bill recommends that other people who notice new symptoms follow his lead and get the heart testing they need, and quickly — and then follow through with any heart procedure their doctor recommends. “I didn’t wait around for a heart attack,” he adds.
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our source: David L. Johnson, M.D.
- Book an appointment with a cardiac specialist near you or call 800-822-8905.
- Learn more about heart care at Hackensack Meridian Health.
The material provided through Healthier You is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
