“I was freaking out”: Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Close Brush With Death Happened After Doctors Botched Up Critical Heart Surgery That Almost Took His Life
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a well-known celebrity in the entertainment business. He has built a fantastic reputation in Hollywood by being part of many successful films. The 76-year-old started as a bodybuilder, later left the bodybuilding industry, and rose to fame as an action movie superstar. He has been part of the industry for a decade and starred in many blockbuster films like The Terminator, Commando, Conan The Destroyer, End of Days, and Total Recall.
While building a strong resume with blockbuster filmographies, Arnold Schwarzenegger hit rock bottom when he went through a heart surgery for the third time. The actor was set to shoot for his famous action film Terminator: Dark Fate, but a sudden complication in his surgery left him in a difficult recovery period. But shockingly, the action star had a near-death experience during the surgery.
Arnold Schwarzenegger nearly died during his botched heart surgery
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been open about his health for a long time. The actor has shared how he went through three heart surgeries and recovered from them. Speaking on his YouTube channel, The Pump, Schwarzenegger, delved deep into his third heart surgery. Before filming Terminator 6, the action star went through a botched heart surgery. He recently shared pictures of his recovery and revealed he had a near-death experience.
The former California governor explained the issues with the surgery and the strain of emotions he felt when he realized it didn’t go according to plan. Schwarzenegger underwent heart surgery in 2018 to replace a pulmonic valve that was repaired in 1997. The doctors informed the former pro bodybuilder that there were unexpected issues with the procedure, and he was freaking out. He said,
“I remember when I had my open heart surgery, the third one, which was just a few years ago just before we started Terminator 6. I was really freaking out. I woke up and all of a sudden the doctors were in front of me saying, ‘I’m so sorry but it was unlike what we planned.’”
Schwarzenegger further explained the procedure was intended to be minimally intrusive, due to a medical error that resulted in internal bleeding, the doctors had to open him up to save his life. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the entire situation a disaster as he endured a difficult recovery spell.
Arnold Schwarzenegger kept a positive mindset during his recovery
Arnold Schwarzenegger had a challenging recovery period as a result of the issues that arose during his botched heart surgery. However, the actor kept a positive mindset and was firm on getting back on his feet. The renowned actor posted a video of himself needing a walker and the railing for support as he struggled to walk in a hospital hallway after the incident.
The experience was an eye-opener for him. The 76-year-old said,
“The bottom line is, you cannot roll the clock back. It was a disaster. I was in the middle of a disaster. So now how do I get out of it? You have to shift gears. You collect yourself, shift gears and say, ‘OK, what I need to do now is I got to get out of this hospital.’”
Schwarzenegger claimed he started by just getting out of bed and taking 10 steps. He eventually began to walk around the hospital’s nurses station before extending his distance. The former pro bodybuilder kept himself active to accelerate his recovery. He was successful in getting out of the hospital and was all back together again as he started shooting for Terminator 6.
The 2019 Terminator film Dark Fate wasn’t exactly a box office success with a meager $261 million in international box office receipts and a whopping $185 million in production expenditures. Despite earning favorable reviews from critics, the movie had trouble engaging audiences and was a failure at the box office.
Source: YouTube
