‘Still above ground,’ ailing Kevin Smith says
Filmmaker Kevin Smith says he has had a terrifying health scare.
Smith, 47, shared a photo on Twitter from what appeared to be a hospital bed early Monday, writing that he suffered “a massive heart attack” after his first comedy show Sunday. The Clerks writer/director had been scheduled for two shows at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif., according to the venue’s website.
“The Doctor who saved my life told me I had 100% blockage of my LAD artery (aka “the Widow-Maker”),” Smith wrote on Twitter. “If I hadn’t canceled show 2 to go to the hospital, I would’ve died tonight. But for now, I’m still above ground!”
The LAD, or left anterior descending artery, is the largest of the three arteries supplying blood to the heart.
Why is it called the “widowmaker?” According to the University of Michigan’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center website, a blockage as severe as Smith’s starves the heart muscle of oxygen, triggering an abnormal heart rhythm and possibly leading to cardiac arrest, when seconds mean the difference between life and death.
If the term “widowmaker” sounds familiar, that may be because it’s the type of heart attack that killed Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) on the NBC drama This Is Us in an episode earlier this month. Bob Harper, the trainer on the network’s weight-loss show The Biggest Loser, also suffered a widowmaker. (And despite the nickname, women can have them as well.)
Smith elaborated on the incident in a NSFW Facebook post: “After the first show, I felt kinda nauseous. I threw up a little but it didn’t seem to help. Then I started sweating buckets and my chest felt heavy. Turns out I had a massive heart attack.” (Excessive sweating de- spite minimal exertion and a feeling of tightness in the chest are symptoms of a widowmaker, though sometimes there are no warning signs.)
Smith continued, revealing he learned something about himself. “Death,” Smith wrote, “was always the thing I was most terrified of in life.” Smith added, however, that throughout the experience he was “filled with a sense of calm.”
“I’ve had a great life: loved by parents who raised me to become the individual I am,” Smith continued. “I’ve had a weird, wonderful career in all sorts of media, amazing friends, the best wife in the world and an incredible daughter who made me a Dad. But as I stared into the infinite, I realized I was relatively content.
“Yes, I’d miss life as it moved on without me — and I was bummed we weren’t gonna get to make #jayandsilentbobreboot before I shuffled loose the mortal coil,” he added. “But generally speaking, I was okay with the end, if this was gonna be it. I’ve gotten to do so many cool things and I’ve had so many adventures — how could I be (expletive) about finally paying the tab.”
After mentioning the likelihood of “some lifestyle changes,” Smith concluded his post. “The point of this post is to tell you that I faced my greatest fear tonight ... and it wasn’t as bad as I’ve always imagined it’d be. I don’t want my life to end but if it ends, I can’t complain. It was such a gift.”
Celebrities were quick to react to Smith’s ordeal on social media.
Chris Pratt said he was praying for the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back director and recalled seeing Clerks in high school.
Josh Gad was “beyond grateful” Smith made it to the hospital in time. “Sending lots of love your way,” he wrote. “Stay healthy @ThatKevinSmith. The world needs you.”
“Kev is a wonderful force of good and humor in this world and I’m proud to be his friend,” Chris Hardwick tweeted. “We are lucky we didn’t lose him so PLEASE send him HUGS!!!”
Tom Arnold offered Smith, “Whatever you need buddy.”
Jack Osbourne wished him a “speedy recovery.”
Smith’s representative did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
“I faced my greatest fear tonight ... and it wasn’t as bad as I’ve always imagined it’d be.”
Kevin Smith In a Facebook post