‘The Biggest Loser’ Star Bob Harper Opens Up About Nearly Fatal Heart Attack
About two months ago, The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper went to a New York City gym for a workout. It would have been a day like any other for the 51-year-old until the unexpected happened. “I had what they call a ‘widow-maker,’” he explained. “It was a 6 percent survival rate, and the fact that there were doctors in the gym when I had the heart attack saved my life.”
On Today, Harper told Savannah Guthrie about the heart attack that kept him in a medically-induced coma for two days and in a hospital for more than a week. Harper said he didn’t remember the day at all, relaying what he was told — that his coach immediately found doctors who performed CPR and used automatic electronic defibrillators (AEDs) on him until paramedics arrived.
“It was hugely shocking for me,” Harper said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned a lot about the fact that genetics played a part in this. It is so important to know your health.”
Harper looks good for a man who just suffered a nearly fatal heart attack but while he said that he’s feeling better physically, he’s still dealing with it emotionally. “I’m going through some depression,” he admitted. “You really face your mortality. And I’m really understanding what’s important in life.”
“Let me tell you, Savannah, I am not sweating the small things anymore and I’m not sweating the big things anymore,” Harper said. “I care about my friends, I care about my family, I care about my dog. I’m going to appreciate every single day that I’m here. I get so emotional talking about it because I haven’t talked about it.”
Watch: Youngest ‘Voice’ Contestant Ever Gets Saved at the Last Second
Read more from Yahoo TV:
Spring TV 2017 Schedule: Print Out a Premiere Dates Calendar
Your TV To-Do List: Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan Is One Proud Papa on ‘The Son’
Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below.
