Kim hospitalized after sixth heart attack

NANCY COOK LAUER/West Hawaii Today Mayor Harry Kim in his Hilo office in May.
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HILO — Mayor Harry Kim has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack Saturday, his second since April.

According to Kim’s office, Kim was taken to Hilo Medical Center early Saturday with a “mild” heart attack. As of Monday morning, the mayor was recuperating in the hospital.

Kim, 78, is under doctor’s orders to rest without any callers or visitors.

“The doctor told me I can’t leave because he doesn’t trust me to rest,” Kim said. “I’d fire him if I could.”

This is Kim’s sixth heart attack, and his second in little over a month after suffering one in late April.

Between Kim’s fifth and sixth heart attacks, Kim was diagnosed with walking pneumonia in early May. On Friday, Kim was diagnosed with a relapse of pneumonia at the Hilo Medical Center, but was released later that day with orders to rest.

The mayor was working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency Thursday in the agency’s preparations for opening the Disaster Recovery Center at Keaau High School. The center opened Friday.