One of the most recognized running backs in professional football history, Barry Sanders, is sharing information about a recent health challenge in hopes of raising awareness for others. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee and former Detroit Lions star discussed the incident during an interview with CBS Sports.
Sanders revealed that he suffered a heart attack last June while on a recruiting visit with his son. “I couldn’t believe it, honestly,” Sanders told CBS Sports. “I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted.” He explained that despite feeling a burning sensation in his chest at the start of the day, he proceeded with the visit before later going to a hospital where tests confirmed he had experienced a heart attack.
Reflecting on the experience, Sanders said: “Of all things, I don’t know why, that just never entered my mind. I’m learning through this process that there aren’t necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we’re encouraging people to do, which is to go [to] the doctor, get tested for LDLC levels, or bad cholesterol. That’s the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It’s not something you’re going to be able to feel. You don’t have to fit a certain physical profile.”
Sanders’ account will be featured alongside four others who have experienced heart attacks in an upcoming television program titled “The Making of a Heart Attack.” The show is scheduled to air June 14 at 1 p.m. on A&E.
Addressing his recovery and current health status, Sanders said he is now feeling well following treatment and lifestyle changes: “It’s definitely made me healthier and happier (…). Being the kind of athlete that I was, I would see people walking and I would wonder, like, ‘What kind of workout is that?’ But there’s a thing called a heart healthy workout, where you’re just getting your heart rate up a little bit over a certain period of time, and that’s just really good for your heart. There was just a certain ignorance that I had about things like that. But all of it has been a learning process.”
He also noted how important fan support has been during his recovery journey: “It’s definitely made me healthier and happier (…). Being the kind of athlete that I was (…). There was just a certain ignorance that I had about things like that. But all of it has been a learning process (…) He added all of the support he’s received from fans has ‘meant a lot to me.'”
Sanders encourages others to proactively monitor their cardiovascular health by seeking regular medical evaluation and screening for risk factors such as high cholesterol.
