Former USC running back LenDale White shockingly revealed that he had suffered a heart attack at the age of 34, roughly four years ago. During an appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast, White recounted the details of the harrowing medical scare which nearly cost him his life.
White explained that he suffered from a "widow-maker heart attack," which, as its name suggests, is often fatal.
"My LAD (left anterior descending artery) was clogged, and I had to have two stents shot into my heart so my blood can flow again,” White said. “It’s called a ‘widow-maker’ because you’re really not supposed to make it back from that.”
The former Trojans star said that he’s using his health scare as motivation to get back into shape.
White was a standout running back at USC from 2003 to ’05. During his Trojans tenure, he scored 57 total touchdowns, including 24 rushing touchdowns during his junior season. He featured in 58 NFL games for the Titans across a four-year career, scoring 24 touchdowns as a pro, including 15 in ’08. He last featured in a game in ’09, though he latched on to various practice squads before retiring.
White is 38 years old now, so he’s four years removed from the heart attack.
"I’ve been so scared," White added. "When you’re 34 and you have a heart attack, that should change your life forever. The physical has to change. I definitely workout every day now—and I hate working out."
While he’s clearly in better shape now, the 2018 incident was a major wake-up call for the former star running back.
