A breakfast radio presenter has undergone emergency surgery after suffering a major heart attack.
Heart 80s DJ Simon Beale said he is ‘grateful to be alive’ after he was rushed to hospital for treatment.
The 53-year-old, who presents for Global’s Heart 80s Breakfast, revealed in an emotional Instagram post that he had collapsed while walking his dog three weeks ago.
Describing the experience as a ‘massive shock’ as he considers himself healthy and active, the presenter shared a snap of himself wired up to a heart monitor.
He wrote: ‘Life can certainly throw you some surprises, three weeks ago, I was walking our dog when I suffered a major heart attack.’
‘Even when it was happening, I was trying to convince myself “it can’t be a heart attack”. I’m 53, never smoked, do 15,000 steps a day and eat averagely healthily.
‘And yet, I couldn’t deny the paralysing pain across my chest, so I phoned 999.’
Within hours doctors had fitted two stents into his blocked artery at the front of his heart.
He continued: ‘I’d gone from a normal Monday (work, shopping, walking the dog) to being blue-lighted in an ambulance, having life-saving surgery and starting the long road to recovery, wired up to numerous monitors,’
After spending eight nights in hospital before being discharged, Simon described the NHS care as ‘phenomenal’.
He said: ‘The care I received was exceptional and I am beyond thankful to every doctor, nurse, consultant, specialist and hospital worker who looked after me for eight nights. They saved my life. They are true heroes.’
The 53-year-old also paid tribute to his fellow colleagues at Heart, as well as his friends and family who have ‘been overwhelmingly kind, caring, considerate and thoughtful’.
Since leaving hospital, Simon – who is one of Heart’s longest-serving presenters – has had to adjust to his new lifestyle at home.
‘Im now recovering at home, getting used to a cocktail of medication and a whole new diet, taking each day as it comes,’ he explained.
‘I’ve still got a way to go, but I AM on the mend and slowly making progress, hoping to be back at work soon. BTW, the irony of the radio station I work for is not lost on me.’
Responding to his social media post, hundreds of fans flooded his comment section with supportive messages.
The beloved DJ is a veteran in British radio having joined Heart London in 2002.
Known for his warm presenting style, he has also hosted shows on Invicta FM, Kiss, Virgin Radio, LBC and BBC Radio 5 Live before Heart.
He has also built an extremely successful career as one of the UK’s most recognisable voiceover artists.
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