The announcer, who has never touched cigarettes or drugs, "wants this situation to be a reminder to everyone" that it could happen to anyone.
There are times when we are just taken aback by what life throws at us because it is that unexpected. We might be doing everything right for our health but fate would throw a wrench to make us stop and take a breather. Very few people are lucky to overcome shocks this big in life and The Price is Right announcer George Gray was one of those lucky few.
Gray, who has been on CBS' The Price is Right since 2011, recently suffered three massive heart attacks at the age of 53 and had to undergo a quadruple bypass operation. On April 20th, he woke up with what felt like indigestion but then felt severe chest pain and weakness in his arms, his wife Brittney told USAToday.
"If this isn't a heart attack, I don't know what it is," he told her. They called the paramedics who arrived soon to their Tucson, Arizona home. The paramedics "hooked him up to an EKG" and then just looked at each other and went, 'Yep'" she recalled. "Are you allowed to tell me I'm having a heart attack?" Gray asked. "Yeah," they confirmed. "It's a big one."
He was quickly hospitalized then and doctors began to operate to put in a stent to restore blood flow from one of his arteries. It was 100% blocked, Brittney said. However, that stent failed right away and the announcer had another heart attack. Then, a second stent was inserted to help with this blood flow. This had initially succeeded. He even got better to go on a walk but during his first walk around the hospital, that stent failed too. He was taken back to the operating table and then he had the third massive heart attack.
The third one was of the left anterior descending artery, according to Variety. It is also known as the "widowmaker" artery as it is highly fatal. He was lucky that doctors were present to save him.
"George is recovering in the hospital and is in good spirits. His wife Brittney is by his 'side,' considering the [pandemic] protocols are in effect," Gray’s representative, Phil Viardo, told TheWrap. "He is looking to make a full recovery and return to the Price Is Right when they come back from the pandemic hiatus."
“He is recovering well, considering his brush with death this week. I was able to speak to him for about 20 minutes this morning, and he is in good spirits after the scare of his life," Viardo told Variety. Gray believes that the cause of his health deteriorating is genetic predispositions. He said he is in good shape, has low cholesterol levels, and has never tried drugs or cigarettes. According to Viardo, Gray "wants this to be a lesson to people everywhere that heart health is important to monitor and that this can happen to a person at any age."
"He would love to thank all of his friends and fans for their outpouring of love and support," Viardo told PEOPLE.
The couple had planned to go to Thailand for their first wedding anniversary, which was on April 13, but couldn't due to travel restrictions. Had they traveled, he would certainly be dead, his wife said to USAToday.
References:
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/price-is-right-george-gray-heart-attack-1234590057/
https://people.com/tv/price-is-right-announcer-george-gray-hospitalized-three-heart-attacks/
