Councilman Gentry Doing Well After Heart Surgery

Laguna Beach City Councilman Robert F. Gentry was awake and talking Wednesday after undergoing emergency heart surgery the day before, and doctors described his prognosis as excellent.

“He’s recovered nicely since his surgery,” said Dr. Donald Mahon, who performed an angiogram on Gentry before the quadruple bypass surgery Tuesday evening. “He’s a healthy young guy otherwise. He’s going to do great.”

Officially, Gentry’s condition was listed as stable, which means he is recovering as expected, Mahon said. He is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.

The 54-year-old Gentry, who had suffered chest pains when exercising over the past three weeks, was admitted to UCI Medical Center on Tuesday morning.

Gentry’s companion, Dennis Amick, said he and a friend visited the three-time mayor on Tuesday in the intensive-care unit.

“He looked great today,” Amick said. “He kept nodding off, but he kept kidding around with us.”

Laguna Beach City Clerk Verna L. Rollinger said she had received many phone calls from people concerned about Gentry, who has served on the City Council since 1982.

“Everybody was shocked (by the surgery), the people who work around here, people who are friends of Bob’s and people who talked to him in the last few days,” Rollinger said. “He seemed so fit and healthy. Nobody had any idea, including Bob, I guess, that he was facing this situation. But everyone is greatly relieved that things went so well.

According to Amick, Gentry has a family history of heart disease, and his father died of a heart attack at 48. Amick said Gentry suffered a mild heart attack seven years ago.