Former Detroit Lions star and Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders, for the very first time, is opening up about the heart attack he suffered last summer, as part of the rollout of a new documentary set to release this weekend.
Sanders’ involvement in the project comes on the heels of news he shared around this time a year ago. The 56-year-old took to social media last June to release a statement informing fans and supporters of a health scare related to his heart over Father’s Day weekend.
“It was unexpected and served as a reminder of the importance of staying vigilant about our physical well-being, even when we are feeling fine,” Sanders said of his health scare in the statement. “I am grateful for the amazing doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals for providing me with needed care. My family and I are thankful for your prayers and support during this time.”
Sanders didn’t elaborate back then, but he is now in advance of a new documentary he’s featured in, titled “The Making of a Heart Attack,” premiering on A&E at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday. Sanders spoke with The Athletic to share details of his experience ahead of the documentary’s release.
“I was more than happy to be a part of it, and in doing so, we really just learned a lot about heart disease and stroke,” Sanders told The Athletic. “It happens far too often, and a lot of it is very preventable.”
Sanders was on a recruiting trip with his son, Noah, and woke up one morning ready to explore the campus and get a feel for it.
Shortly thereafter, he experienced a burning sensation — one that felt like regular heartburn to him. He didn’t pay much attention to it, but the feeling persisted. Sanders, about an hour away from home at the time, left the campus hoping it would eventually go away with rest.
But it didn’t. Sanders, still experiencing the burning sensation, would later drive himself to the emergency room, beginning to realize the severity.
Sanders said doctors checked his heart rate. Then his blood pressure. Upon initial results, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But eventually, doctors noticed Sanders’ cardiac enzyme counts were high. As was explained to Sanders, it’s an indicator of possible heart-related damage. After a closer look, Sanders’ doctors later informed him that he’d suffered a heart attack.
“It was just eye-opening, honestly,” Sanders said. “Like, wow.”
Sanders, admittedly, didn’t consider the possibility. Athletes, even former ones, are taught to shake off the pain they experience and keep going, which explains why Sanders didn’t think much of the sensation he initially felt.
This is one of the greatest players in NFL history we’re talking about, after all. Sanders rushed for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns in his career. He’s on the Mt. Rushmore of NFL running backs, has a permanent home in Canton, Ohio, and a statue outside Ford Field that will forever honor his contributions to this franchise over this 10-year career.
Barry Sanders spent many years shaking off pain while he was playing in the NFL. (Brian Bahr/AFP via Getty Images)
Sanders, 55 at the time, shared some of his habits — exercising regularly, staying in shape, generally unaware of any patterns that would lead to a scare like the one he suffered. But even non-athletes often can’t tell they’re having a heart attack in the moment.
Sanders couldn’t, either.
“It’s really important just to be proactive in that sense,” Sanders said. “When you think about a heart attack or stroke happening as frequently as it does — I mean, how many of us, even before my heart incident, I can think of so many ways that I was impacted already with people that I knew and knew of and heard about (having heart-related scares).”
Sanders stayed in the hospital for a few days after the news was delivered and was able to start the education process, learning why it happened and where he would go from there.
The documentary, created in partnership with biotechnology company Amgen, features Sanders and four others, sharing the stories of their heart-related experiences. A teacher. An author. A father and his daughter. And a Hall of Fame running back. There was a common thread among the documentary’s subjects — none of them saw it coming. Each has since learned the risk factors involved, discussing the aftermath across informative conversations captured in the documentary, with Sanders steering the dialogue and learning more about each individual subject.
“The system, including healthcare professionals and patients, aren’t catching the signs early enough,” Sanders says in the documentary. “I want to find out why. What put us at risk, how do you deal with the shock, how do you get back control and what comes next for each of us. That’s what this conversation is about.”
The documentary highlights the importance of education and knowing the warning signs of cardiovascular events. Heart issues can be hereditary and can come earlier than expected, evidenced by a 34-year-old woman who suffered a heart attack shortly after her father did. Both are featured in the documentary.
One of the best indicators is knowing your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, otherwise known as LDL Cholesterol or “bad cholesterol.” Being aware of your cholesterol levels through test results conducted by your doctor can help high-risk individuals identify signs early and take precautionary measures before it’s too late.
Sanders learned this after the fact. On his road to recovery, he learned about the documentary and is now sharing his story in hopes that it will encourage others to educate themselves.
“I’m fortunate to be on this side of it, to try to be an advocate, heart health advocate, and learning from others who are on this side of it who want to educate people,” Sanders said. “It’s a very, very, very important message.”
Sanders says life since his heart attack has been good, and that this experience has been an education for him. Statistics show those who’ve experienced a heart attack are more likely to experience another within the first year. It’s forced Sanders to reevaluate his health and his priorities.
With Father’s Day around the corner, Sanders, a father of four, is learning how to move forward, now a year removed from his health scare. He hopes anyone who watches the documentary will gain useful knowledge from the different stories and perspectives shared, and that its educational content will persuade even seemingly healthy individuals to talk to their doctors and learn the risk factors involved.
(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
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