Sonny Bill Williams reveals emergency open-heart surgery after secret heart defect found
Former All Blacks and NRL great Sonny Bill Williams has revealed he recently underwent emergency open-heart surgery for a congenital heart defect he unknowingly carried through his entire playing career.
Former All Blacks and NRL great Sonny Bill Williams has revealed he recently underwent emergency open-heart surgery, disclosing a congenital heart defect he had unknowingly carried through his entire playing career. (NewstalkZB)
In a 24-minute YouTube video titled “My Heart Stopped”, posted on Friday night, the 41-year-old said the defect was discovered during a routine follow-up appointment after his fourth major neck operation earlier this year. (NewstalkZB, Planet Rugby)
Williams underwent surgery at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital, where surgeons replaced his aortic valve and reconstructed another valve in what his surgeon described as two major operations in one. (Fox Sports)
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Day two, honestly, I thought I wasn’t going to make it,” Williams said, adding he suffered hallucinations after going under the knife. Surgeon Dr Michael O’Keefe told him it was a “miracle” the defect was found: “a perfectly fit-looking person could drop dead”. O’Keefe said Williams had effectively “been playing with a handicap” throughout his decorated career. (NewstalkZB, Fox Sports, Planet Rugby)
The video, which features his wife Alana, topped 10,000 views within two hours, drawing messages of support from All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea and Rieko Ioane. The father of five and devout Muslim closed with “Alhamdulillah [Praise be to God]”. (NewstalkZB, Planet Rugby)
Williams won two Rugby World Cups with the All Blacks (2011 and 2015) across 58 caps from 2010 to 2019, plus NRL premierships with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters — and even boxed Paul Gallen about 15 months ago, completely unaware of the defect. He now says he has “a better heart than when I walked in here”. (Planet Rugby, NewstalkZB, Fox Sports)
Sources
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