Lorenzo Beronilla, a renowned actor from Saugerties, faced the most challenging role of his life as a heart patient. While appearing in numerous commercials and films, Beronilla’s health took a turn, leading him to Westchester Medical Center.Lorenzo Beronilla, a renowned actor from Saugerties, faced the most challenging role of his life as a heart patient. While appearing in numerous commercials and films, Beronilla’s health took a turn, leading him to Westchester Medical Center. Upon arrival, Beronilla’s condition was critical. His heart failure had caused kidney and liver failure, prompting Dr. Gregg Lanier to declare that if the hospital had not identified the heart issue promptly, Beronilla could have died. On March 13th, Beronilla was added to the heart transplant list, and fortune smiled upon him when nurse Kathleen McCrink informed him that the wait was over, just 17 days later. Despite his initial disbelief, Beronilla underwent surgery that evening, spending 87 days in the hospital before being discharged with a renewed lease on life. Beronilla credits the medical team at Westchester Medical Center for saving his life and urges others to listen attentively to their bodies. He emphasizes that dismissing signs of fatigue and exhaustion can be detrimental, and that prompt medical attention is crucial for maintaining health and well-being.
Lorenzo Beronilla is an actor from Saugerties. He has appeared in countless commercials and films, but the most difficult role of his life was as a heart patient.
On Monday, he was reunited with the medical team at Westchester Medical Center who gave him his life back.
Beronilla says it all started when he noticed he was more tired and out of breath than usual. He didn’t think much about it. He told News 12 he thought he just needed to rest — until one day he was on the train on his way to work.
“I went from being a 190-pound person to 210(-pounds) in an hour and a half. I was swollen from the stomach down,” he said.
He first went to Health Alliance Hospital in Kingston, and they recognized he had heart failure and sent him to Westchester Medical Center. When he arrived, his doctor said he was in bad shape.
“His heart was so weak that it couldn’t pump blood to the body and so his kidneys and his liver shut down,” explained Dr. Gregg Lanier out. “If they had not recognized the heart failure, he probably could have died that day.”
On March 13, he was put on the heart transplant list. Luck was on his side – just 17 days later, nurse Kathleen McCrink walked into his hospital room with some news.
“I said, ‘Oh, Mr. Lorenzo, what are you doing this weekend?’ He started saying, ‘Oh, I’m doing this and that,’ and I said, ‘How about we just say the wait is over,’ and he was like, ‘What?’ McCrink said.
“I think I swore against her,” Beronilla laughs. “I think so. I just didn’t understand what that meant… How long do I have to wait after that? And the next words are: ‘You’re having surgery tonight at 10pm, call your family.’
Beronilla spent a total of 87 days in the hospital. Now he has a new lease on life.
“Really listen to your body,” he said. “I know so many people, you can hear them say, ‘They’re so tired right now, I’ll rest on the weekend when I’m free. No. Your body is telling you something.’
