Jonathan David Phillips

Yadkinville Mayor Hubert Gregory, 76, says he's feeling fine since his heart stopped Nov.15 while laying on an X-ray table at his cardiologist's office in Winston-Salem.

Medical personnel revived his heart without opening his chest. He did not have a heart attack, he said.

"I revived real quickly," Gregory said. "I always create a little excitement when I go to the doctor."

He was in Winston-Salem for a second ablation procedure in which a special electrode catheter is inserted into the heart and radiofrequency -- heat -- energy is passed through it. The tip of the catheter heats up and destroys the small area of heart tissue that contains the abnormal pathway that causes the heart rhythm problem.

No stranger to heart problems, Gregory said his heart is naturally out of rhythm and he has to have ablation procedures four times this year.

He found out about his heart problem in 1971 after failing a physical. He said his heart has only been in rhythm 11 days this year.

The Nov. 15 incident, he said, was like pulling out onto the road and nearly missing hitting another car.

"It was a near miss," Gregory said. "But I've gone on down the road. I don't give it a second thought."

Gregory's blood pressure did not increase during the incident. His veins were checked for blockage but nothing was found.

He said he does experience episodes in which his heartbeat beats rapidly. He has to lie down because it makes him weak.

"It starts in my chest and then goes all over," he said.

Gregory has been Yadkinville's mayor for the last 12 years. He has two years left in his current term.

He said this latest incident will not keep him from his mayoral duties.

"I plan on serving everyday of this term," he said, adding that he hasn't ruled out seeking re-election. "We'll have to see if I'm still here."

On Monday, Gregory was back at work at the opening of a downtown business at 10 a.m. A few hours later, he was tinkering with his 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe.

He said he'll be at the Nov. 30 Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration and will ride in the parade the following day.

"I'm healthier than most people my age," he said. "I've made it through my whole life with my heart."