Dad, 32, Died 3 Times in Front of His Family. Now He’s Raising 2 Sons While Living on Life Support (Exclusive)

James Dilon Wilks was diagnosed with heart failure in 2024 after years of heavy alcohol consumption

NEED TO KNOW

• James Dilon Wilks was diagnosed with heart failure in 2024 after years of heavy alcohol consumption
• He survived three near-death experiences and now lives with an LVAD to assist his heart function
• Wilks shares his journey online to raise awareness about heart failure and inspire others to prioritize their health

James Dilon Wilks first realized something was wrong with his health in late 2024. At the time, he had started experiencing chest pain and found himself randomly blacking out. He also noticed that whenever he lay down, it felt as though he were drowning.

From there, his symptoms worsened, and in October 2024, Wilks was hospitalized. There, the father of two — who shares two sons, ages 10 and 8, with his wife, Summer, 28, and is now expecting another child with her — was diagnosed with heart failure. He says doctors told him the condition was caused by years of heavy alcohol consumption.

According to the Mayo Clinic, heart failure occurs when the “heart muscle doesn’t pump blood as well as it should.” Symptoms can include shortness of breath, fatigue and weakness, and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

“I was scared at first because I was so young and had a family depending on me,” Wilks, who was only [insert age] at the time of his diagnosis, tells PEOPLE exclusively.

“Then I was in denial,” he adds. “I didn’t believe someone as young as me, who had always been in great health, could have heart failure.”

Eventually, Wilks, now 32, was discharged from the hospital and instructed to manage his condition with medication and routine medical appointments. For a time, he believed his condition was under control.

But nearly a year after his diagnosis, on Dec. 7, 2025, his health took a devastating turn when he went into cardiac arrest. He died in his living room in front of his family and was later resuscitated.

“The hardest part for me was knowing my kids had to watch me die right in front of them and knowing there was nothing I could do to help or comfort them,” he says.

Over the next two days, Wilks experienced two more near-death episodes before being transferred to UCSD La Jolla, where he remained for a month and received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

According to Stanford Medicine, the device assists the left ventricle — the heart’s main pumping chamber — in moving oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

The device ultimately saved his life. Now, more than six months later, Wilks says he has adjusted to living with the LVAD and has returned to many aspects of daily life.

“I still work full time, and I spend my days working and being with my wife and boys,” he says.

Still, life with the device — and the treatment that preceded it — comes with challenges.

For one, Wilks can no longer submerge himself in water and is limited to showers. Even then, he has to place his equipment in a special water-resistant bag and cover his driveline site, where the cord connecting his external controller to the LVAD exits his body.

He also faces limitations that many LVAD patients don’t experience because of the high level of life support he required in the hospital: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO.

“The treatment damaged the nerves in my legs and has made walking a challenge,” he says.

Another challenge is living with the driveline — a specialized cable that exits his abdomen.

“The driveline coming out of my stomach makes a lot of things difficult because I can’t put pressure on the entry site, and if it gets pulled, it could cause major issues,” he says.

The physical limitations can also be especially difficult when it comes to spending time with his children.

“It’s difficult having two rowdy boys who want to play and have fun with me,” he continues. “I want so badly to be able to play with them and spend time the way we used to — playing sports and being active together — but I’ve had to settle for watching from a distance.”

Despite those challenges, Wilks says surviving multiple near-death experiences has fundamentally changed his perspective on what matters most. He now finds himself cherishing every moment — both the good and the bad — because he came so close to not being here to experience any of it.

“For so long, I spent every day focused on the future,” he says. “While I still think about what’s ahead, I spend much more time appreciating the present because it’s happening right now. I can work toward a promising future, but I also need to stop and enjoy the little things along the way.”

Today, he says his family remains at the center of everything he does.

“My family is everything to me, and that’s become my main focus,” he says. “Whether it’s watching movies together, taking vacations or just spending time as a family, those moments mean so much more to me now.

“My wife and kids are the reason I fight so hard every day," he continues.

That renewed outlook is part of what inspired Wilks to begin sharing his story publicly.

Over the past several months, he has documented his journey on his social media account @adadthatbeatdeathn to raise awareness about heart failure, educate others about life with an LVAD and show people facing similar diagnoses that there is still reason to hope.

Since opening up online, he has amassed thousands of followers, with many of his videos garnering millions of views.

“The support has been amazing,” he says. “I love being able to share my story and bring hope to others. Like anything, there’s some negative feedback, but it doesn’t bother me."

“I’m grateful for every person who follows along, engages with my content and takes the time to check in and see how I’m doing," he adds.

Looking ahead, Wilks hopes his story encourages others to take their health seriously and seek help when they need it.

“I hope people see my story and find the courage to go to the doctor, get the medical test they’ve been putting off and fight for their lives the same way I’m fighting for mine,” he says. “I hope people see a man who battled addiction, survived a life-changing event and is still thriving because of his strength, determination and belief.”

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