Around 9 p.m. on March 24, Lewis County Auditor Larry Grove, 69, suffered a severe heart attack in his home and was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.
Just a few weeks later, Grove’s family reports he is home recovering from surgery where he received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
He was released from Providence St. Peter on Wednesday, March 29 and has since received a follow-up appointment with the cardiac surgeon, who said everything “looks really good,” according to Grove’s daughter, Brittany Unzelman.
Though he’s not yet returned to the office, Unzelman said Grove has been in contact with employees at the auditor’s office who’ve handled the work while he’s been out. He has another checkup scheduled for May 15 and, according to Unzelman, has been taking walks outside every day.
Unzelman said the doctor knows marathon runners who have undergone the ICD surgery. The doctor reportedly said Grove’s quality of life would improve significantly after the procedure.
The device can monitor and manage heart rate, and deliver electric shock to correct life-threatening arrhythmia, according to information Unzelman provided.
“My dad … wanted to thank all his fellow county employees and individuals in the community for their well wishes and prayers,” Unzelman told The Chronicle via text.
Grove has headed the county auditor’s office since 2014. For 25 years prior, he served as the Lewis County auditor’s chief accountant.
Grove is a fourth generation Toledo native and served two tours in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, according to a Chronicle video interview from his first campaign. After earning a CPA through the state, he worked for the state auditor’s office.
He and his wife Cindy have been married for around 40 years and have three adult children, Brittany, Jessica and Marcus.
