Breaking News; “I felt like I was going to pass out,” said Larry Bird, describing how a cardiac condition nearly caused him to pass out against the Chicago Bulls.

“I felt like I was going to pass out,” said Larry Bird, describing how a cardiac condition nearly caused him to pass out against the Chicago Bulls.

Throughout his playing career, Bird struggled with atrial fibrillation, a cardiac condition that grew worse after he left the game.

During his 13 seasons in the NBA, Larry Bird suffered from a number of injuries, including atrial fibrillation, a cardiac disorder. Bird used to train out in the summer off-season when the weather was hot, but the condition bothered him frequently. In fact, that was the reason he nearly passed out in a 1998 regular season game when coaching the Indiana Pacers against the Chicago Bulls.

Bird stated, as quoted in Sports Illustrated, “I felt like I was going to pass out, so I was standing on the sideline and hoping for a television timeout.”

Bird was aware that there was always a problem with his heart.
Bird said he always knew there was something wrong with his heart, so he wasn’t surprised to see himself in this state during that game versus the Bulls. The three-time champion was terrified and certain that the illness would not improve. The worst thing was that it got worse with age, and he felt it most during this game against the Bulls. He was practically pleading with the refs to take a timeout because he felt like he was about to pass away.

The referee finally blew his whistle. They always set up a chair for me on the floor during our timeouts so I can sit down and chat with the boys. I fell into that chair this time because I was heading out,” continued Bird.

How Bird managed his cardiac condition
Atrial fibrillation, the illness known as Bird’s syndrome, is characterized by an erratic heartbeat. It occurs when aberrant electrical impulses affect the atria, hence altering the heart’s rhythm. Bird said that it frequently afflicted him during the offseason, causing him to experience unexpected tiredness and a sensation similar to his heart “jumping around.” The legendary Boston Celtics player found that his illness would often go away when he took long naps.

In reality, Bird said that throughout his playing career, he never disclosed his issue to the Celtics’ medical personnel. He didn’t talk about it until the illness started to stalk him more regularly while he was an executive in the front office of the Boston Celtics. At that point, his illness was identified and was receiving more significant treatment. Bird is still managing atrial fibrillation to this day, but the good news is that he is still doing well.