Eighteen months ago, John Bumpus would have turned down the Catholic Business League’s invitation to speak at their monthly breakfast meeting. This wouldn’t have been from lack of interest.
As he addressed the crowd of well over 100 Catholic business professionals, he explained that it’s a true pleasure to be standing at the podium, and he says that with no hyperbole; last year, Bumpus was recovering from open heart surgery, an experience that tried his body physically yet deepened his faith and awareness in a very positive way.
“It felt amazing to know how loved I was.” Bumpus said, reflecting on the recovery process. “Between the calls and the cards and the flowers, my family and I could see that we were loved and we were being thought of. That meant so much.”
A Nashville native, Bumpus grew up in a small home with six sisters. His parents didn’t have much in the way of money, but he grew up in a house that emphasized music, sports, and Catholic education, and it’s through these lenses that Bumpus now views his life and his work.
Working in the healthcare field as a top executive with LifePoint Health, Bumpus is no stranger to the medical mantra “One is too many. Most is not enough.” This is spoken by doctors and health care professionals about the importance of not making mistakes. Bumpus wound up being “the one.” During his cardiovascular check-up, John’s heart stent broke, and he was rushed into emergency surgery, which wound up saving his life.
As he recovered, John began to notice the miracles that surround us every day. Things we take as commonplace — a baby being born — are examples of these. He also began to realize that the little things matter, and this was never more evident than when he had to take his first walk down the hospital hallway after being in the ICU, and suddenly walking 30 feet was not only a challenge, but an accomplishment.
As John worked through cardiac rehabilitation with fellow patients in similar boats to him, he learned valuable lessons and reminders about how a good organization — be it a family or a business — works. In cardiac rehabilitation, everyone had value, everyone had a mission, and everyone was encouraged.
John closed the meeting with a prayer about the importance of being patient and trusting, something that he wasn’t doing enough of before his surgery. “Trust in the slow work of God,” said John. “Take time to see the miracles around you.”
