Mark Richt Heart Attack: In His Inspiring Story Strength and Resilience Shine Through!

By James Mercado On Oct 1, 2023

Mark Richt’s left hand may tremble, his joints may stiffen, or something in his brain may trigger a halt each time he attempts to tell his legs to “Stand up. Walk.” There may be a sickness in his body causing this. But he is not looking for your pity. Maybe some prayers for a remedy and a wise line of action, but not for pity.

Parkinson’s disease has harmed the body but not his spirit. The same Richt who coached football and changed lives for 34 years, the man who every year interrupted preseason practice and stunned his players by performing a backflip off the 10-meter board into the campus swimming pool, the person who turned eating a sandwich into a 10-bite sport, is still as motivated and competitive as ever.

After spending 45 minutes discussing the new challenge in his life with a small group of reporters, Richt backed up and put down the challenge while seated on a chair in a hotel meeting room. He then looked down at his tennis shoes.

The ACC had its yearly offseason media gathering when coaches and athletes talked about their squads and potential autumn outcomes. Richt, a studio analyst for the ACC Network, was present. He arrived early for production meetings and spent the entire day working on the set.

Richt, 61, has made the decision to continue working for the network and to pursue his other interests despite discovering on May 25 what he had suspected for months: He has Parkinson’s disease. This neurological condition worsens with time and is brought on by the decline of dopamine-producing brain cells.

Richt proclaimed to be “really good.” He is exercising more, eating healthier, and sleeping more. He questioned, “Was it Mickey Mantle who said, ‘If I knew I was going to live this long, I would’ve taken care of myself?’”

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“I am assuming word travels fast. So I wanted to be able to inform everyone that I did have a heart attack this morning. I am doing fine. As I went through the experience I had peace knowing I was going to heaven but I was going to miss my wife. I plan to be at work this week.” He chose to post the news to his followers that morning two years ago after having a heart attack that he thought would end his life.

I am assuming word travels fast. So I wanted to be able to inform everyone that I did have a heart attack this morning. I am doing fine. As I went through the experience I had peace knowing I was going to heaven but I was going to miss my wife. I plan to be at work this week.

— Mark Richt (@MarkRicht) October 21, 2019

Three weeks ago, after talking with his wife Katharyn, he made the decision to come clean once more when numerous former players and friends saw his sluggish behavior at a charity golf tournament in Athens. His phone flashed with text messages in both situations.

“I tweeted I had a heart attack a while back, and I got blasted by 400 text messages. So they’re probably getting tired of me crying wolf,” he grinned. Richt was speaking on Wednesday night, the same time that Bobby Bowden, his mentor, revealed that he had a terminal illness.

He believed he was aging. It found out that the genetic marker he got from his 84-year-old father, who is also suffering from Parkinson’s, had become apparent. Doctors have advised Richt that when symptoms become obvious, they have likely been present in his body for five to ten years.

Parkinson’s disease has been identified in around one million Americans and 10 million individuals worldwide, including the late Muhammad Ali, actors Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda, singer Linda Ronstadt, and former NBA player Brian Grant.

A lot of Richt’s former players have observed this issue. They observed Richt moving awkwardly around a room, occasionally without making a face, just as those in Charlotte had. As at past recent events, something seemed amiss at David Pollack’s charity golf tournament in Athens in late June.

Richt appeared to be unsteady. His hand trembled. He wasn’t the same guy who led the team through grueling springtime mat drills, sweltering late-summer sessions, and grueling fall games.

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