Every once in a while, something happens that makes us all realize how precious life is. For Jonathan Frostick, that life-changing moment occurred last week when he had a near-death experience.
Frostick, who works as a regulatory program manager at an investment bank in London, started his Sunday like any other — coffee, a trip to the park, some shopping and a late lunch — then he sat down at his desk at 4 p.m. to prepare for the week ahead at work.
"And then I couldn’t really breathe. My chest felt constrained, I had what I can only describe as surges in my left arm, my neck, my ears were popping," he wrote in a LinkedIn post that has now gone viral.
Frostick was in the early stages of a heart attack and the unexpected way he reacted to this sudden life-threatening event has resonated with a lot of LinkedIn users.
"I didn’t get a flash of light, my life race through my mind. Instead I had:
1. F*** I needed to meet with my manager tomorrow, this isn’t convenient
2. How do I secure the funding for X (work stuff)
3. Sh** I haven’t updated my will
4. I hope my wife doesn’t find me dead," he wrote.
The Londoner then went to lie down in his bedroom and had his wife call for help. As he was lying in a hospital bed, the gravity of his situation dawned on Frostick and he made a list of goals for himself to make sure he lives his life to the fullest moving forward.
Alongside a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, Frostick shared a list of five life changes he wants to make. Up first? An end to that constant meeting fatigue.
"I’m not spending all day on zoom anymore," he wrote.
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Frostick's near-death experience also taught him that he needs to take a closer look at how much he's been working and what he gets out of his job.
"I’m restructuring my approach to work. I’m really not going to be putting up with any s#%t at work ever again - life literally is too short," he wrote. "I want every day to count for something at work else I’m changing my role."
Like many people who experience a sudden health challenge, Frostick also wanted to focus on his diet and vowed to lose 15 kgs (33 pounds). Last, but perhaps most important of all, he vowed to spend more time with his family.
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"And that, so far, is what near death has taught me," Frostick wrote and added the hashtags #decisionmaking #leadershiplessons.
The post has been shared over 200,000 times and has over 13,000 comments from LinkedIn users who personally connected with Frostick's words. Just days after his original post, the Londoner shared another reflection titled “Life 2.0 day 10: Staring at the man in the mirror.”
“Who am I? I’ve spent so long defined by what I do professionally, I’m not sure who I am when I ask myself now. I have a big character, I’m confident, engaging, I like a debate, and I don’t shy away from conflict anymore. But who am I?” he wrote and included a list of his skills.
“Who am I? It’s like a riddle my mind cannot solve. I have no idea who I am anymore. This is going to take some time...” he continued.
Frostick is currently in recovery and not doing interviews at this time, but a spokesperson for HSBC, the company he works for, shared the following statement with TODAY.
“We all wish Jonathan a full and speedy recovery. We also recognise the importance of personal health and wellbeing and a good work-life balance," they wrote in an email. "The response to this topic shows how much this is on people’s minds and we are encouraging everyone to make their health and wellbeing a top priority.”