Journalist Grant Wahl died suddenly and unexpectedly while covering the World Cup soccer event in Qatar last Friday. Speculation regarding possible foul play has been put to rest following an autopsy.
The autopsy was ordered by Grant’s widow, Dr. Celine Gounder, and conducted by New York City’s medical examiner.
Gounder told CBS News on Wednesday that Grant’s death was due to a long-standing heart condition and that he died due to an aortic aneurysm that ruptured while covering the World Cup.
In an interview with CBS, Gounder said: “He had an autopsy done here in New York by the New York City medical examiner’s office, and it showed that he had an aortic aneurysm that ruptured.”
Gounder noted she hopes Grant will be remembered as a “kind, generous person who was really dedicated to social justice.”
In her first interview since her husband’s death, Gounder told “CBS Mornings” Gayle King: “It’s just one of these things that had been likely brewing for years, and for whatever reason, it happened at this point in time.”
Providing more details on what happened, Gounder explained:
“The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms. No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”
The Daily Wire noted that Wahl reported not feeling well and traveled to a medical facility the Monday before his death.
The journalist wrote: “My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you. What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.”
Wahl returned to the medical facility on Thursday after his condition had not improved. He died suddenly on Friday following the World Cup’s quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
“I am so thankful for the support of my husband @GrantWahl‘s soccer family & of so many friends who’ve reached out tonight,” Gounder tweeted on Friday following his death. “I am in complete shock.”
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