VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Since he was a little boy, Kyle Hartley has been quite active, from playing soccer to working out in the gym.

“So I certainly never felt like I would have any type of cardiac issues,” Hartley said.

Ironically it was at OrangeTheory Fitness in March 2022 where Hartley had his first heart attack at the age of 39.

“So it was quite the shock when I finally came to the following week,” he said.

The yellow Sentara insignia out the window would be his view for the next month.

After rehab, he returned to the helm at Integrity staffing and his classes at Orange Theory, where, on Aug. 1, his heart suddenly stopped.

“I was in the right place, right time,” Hartley said. “I mean, if there was ever an example of divine intervention, this was it.”

For the second time, staff jumped into action and saved his life. The shock to his heart paralleled the shock to his mind.

“One of the hardest parts for me was the mental side of it,” Hartley said. “And you know, it still is because it’s surreal to think about it happening. And then, as you’re in it going through it, it’s tough, it’s hard.”

Hartley recalled feeling none of the classic heart attack symptoms in the days before either event — no pain in the chest or arms and no shortness of breath.

“There are a lot of people who say they’re healthy, but the question is, are they truly healthy,” said cardiologist Dr. Keith Newby.

Newby can’t speak to Hartley specifically, but cautions it is what you cannot see that is often the problem and blinds many to the number one killer of men in the United States — heart disease.

“Most chronic illnesses that lead to heart disease are typically asymptomatic,” Newby said. “Think about most people, hypertension, they don’t feel it. They don’t know they have it or they tend to ignore it because they feel fine. Same thing with diabetics.”

Knowing your numbers for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are key. Family history is another big risk factor.

“I actually knew about it and was like, ‘yeah, once I turn 40, I’m going to take it serious and I’m going to’ — a year late,” Hartley said.

Hartley recently rang the survivor bell at the Peninsula Heart Walk, where he is a top fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

“There’s this feeling of, you owe a debt and trying to figure out a way to give back and maybe help somebody else,” he said.

Hartley now sees doctors regularly and encourages young men to make an annual appointment a top priority.

For more ways to reduce your risk of heart disease, check out Life’s Essential 8 from the American Heart Association.