When Tom Bonny went into surgery in 2024, he expected doctors to repair a heart murmur. Instead, he woke to the news that his heart needed far more care than anyone realized. He’d needed three bypasses and a valve repair. Your gift helped him recover.

“It was more than I expected,” he says. “But I trusted the team, and I knew it had to be done.”

Once he returned home, Tom began his rehabilitation at Mercy Health — Marcum and Wallace Hospital. Having these services nearby meant he could focus on healing without the strain of long travel or unfamiliar surroundings.

“I appreciated it being close, simply because my wife could see me regularly, and I knew the rehab folks,” he says. “It felt like home.”

During his rehab, the team guided him through walking routines, strength building exercises and stair training. They monitored his progress and supported him with each step.

“The services were phenomenal,” Tom says. “They made the work manageable, and that helped me keep moving forward.”

Tom has spent his life in Estill County. He started first as a student, then as an educator and now as a patient who understands the hospital’s importance to the community.

“People here depend on this hospital,” he says. “It’s been that way for decades.”

As Tom continues his recovery, he remains grateful that high-quality rehab is available close to home.

“Being able to stay here made all the difference,” he says. “I don’t know what I would have done without it.”