Already have an account?
Get back to the
ABC

ALL MY CHILDREN’s Susan Lucci Opens up About Her Heart Attack Scare

Tags:

One moment is all that it takes to change your life forever, and for daytime icon Susan Lucci (Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN), that moment happened last fall. “On a late October afternoon, I had a wakeup call,” the actress revealed on Instagram. “Narrowly missing a severe heart attack, I realized how vulnerable life is and how incredibly grateful I am to be here today.

“As a working wife, mother, and grandmother, I am sure most women will agree we are never at the top of our to-do list,” Lucci continued. “I exercise daily, eat as healthy as possible, and yet had a shock of a lifetime when I was told that I had a 90% blockage in the main artery of my heart. I learned that heart disease is the number one killer of women, claiming more precious lives every year than all forms of cancer combined.”

And this life-changing moment has inspired the Hollywood star to use her celebrity to help inspire others to make their own health a priority. “This week, I will walk in the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection in honor of all women who have lost their lives, those who are currently battling heart disease, and all the fearless survivors,” she declared. “No one should have to die of a heart attack — they just need to listen to their symptoms and act on them. My hope in telling my story is that I can help at least one wife, mother, sister, and friend.”

Lucci also appeared on GOOD MORNING AMERICA to get the message out by sharing her harrowing story of being in a boutique shopping when she felt a tremendous pressure in her chest and was rushed to the hospital. “I thank goodness that I was not home,” she admitted. “Because had I been home, I probably would’ve said, ‘Oh, I just need to lay down.’” 

Discovering that she had a 90% blockage in one artery and 75% in the other shook Lucci to her core. “It shook me up,” she confessed. “It shook my confidence in my health.” But the advocate hopes that her message can get through to other women in a similar situation in the hopes of saving lives. Watch her interview here:

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.