When Jared Stock suddenly got sick out of the blue, he didn’t hesitate to call an ambulance to take him to San Juan Regional Medical Center. Here is his story, in his own words, about the care he received and how it has changed his life.

“I'm Jared Stock. I was born here in Farmington, at San Juan Regional Medical Center. When I was a kid, I went all over the world with my dad, who was in the Army. I also went into the army. When my wife and I finished our time with them we returned to Farmington. This is where I decided to live my life, because I love it here. I joined the Farmington Police Department in 2007 and was a cop all the way until 2022, when I got sick. 

When I got sick, it hit me out of the blue. No clue it was coming. I was sitting on my couch reading a bedtime story to my kids, and the worst pain I've ever felt in my life hit me right in the middle of my chest. I went to my knees on the floor. I thought I was having a heart attack. The biggest thing I kept thinking was, ‘man, I gotta tell my kids I love them, and I'll see them again.’

We called the ambulance. Paramedics, fire, EMS, they all got to my house. I knew half of them because I'd been a cop with them. I didn't think to go anywhere but San Juan Regional. I know the caliber of the amazing doctors and nurses that work there, and I knew that I was going to be okay if I was in their care.

I got put in the hospital and they told me it was pancreatitis. I just couldn't get better, and I couldn't get better and eventually I went septic. My pancreas necrotized. In my case, it took my left leg below the knee and my right toes. They put me in emergency surgery. And at that point, I don't remember much. I coded; I died on the table. Doctor Philip Ernest was my surgeon, and he literally saved my life. He brought me back - twice. He's my hero. I’m alive and I have my kids because he was there that day. 

Dr. Philip Ernest reunites with patient Jared Stock.

San Juan Regional was there for me. They got me back to life and let me live my best life here. If you get sick and you want that best life back, San Juan Regional will get you there. They make you feel like you're going to make it. I never even imagined I wasn't. And that's because of the nurses and the doctors and that whole staff. 

My whole life outlook has changed. Coming home now isn't just a place that I go to sleep to come back to work. It's the place that I live. And my life happens at home. I love my family, and my family loves the farm. And I think even though it's a tiny little farm, it's our piece of the world that we can make beautiful. Too much. Today in the world, people are just looking out for themselves. I want my kids to know that we have to do more to care. And having animals let you think of someone else other than yourself. as you care for somebody [00:27:00:00] and you care for something else, you start looking outside yourself and then that can spread to your friends and then that can spread to your community, to your city. And someday, hopefully, maybe, the world will start caring for each other everywhere. 

Farmington’s an amazing place to live, and I just want everybody to know it's worth living here. And it has a top rate hospital and medical services. So if you get hurt you're going to be taken care of, you're going to be all right. I can't imagine being anywhere else because life is better here. 

I'm Jared Stock, and I love life here. I'm here because San Juan Regional saved my life.”

Watch the video of Jared’s story here: https://www.sanjuanregional.com/jared

Jared Stock enjoying time with his family and horses.