BATON ROUGE - Former metro councilman and mayoral candidate Mike Walker is recovering from heart surgery, a spokesperson said in a statement.

Walker attributed his recovery to the quick response of first responders at the East Side Fire Department on Old Hammond Highway. In November, Walker was driving near the fire station when he felt the signs of a heart attack. The firefighters and EMS workers at the station provided immediate assistance and transported him to a hospital.

This week, doctors performed robotic surgery on his heart.

"After an initial evaluation, doctors have determined the surgery to be successful and have advised Mr. Walker that he may return to normal activities in the near future," Walker's spokesperson, Michael Smith, said.

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