10 Athletes Who Returned to Sports After Heart Procedures
Stepping back into competitive sports after heart surgery sounds understandable, but for these athletes, it’s just part of their medical history. They dealt with heart murmurs, valve replacements, and surprise diagnoses, then laced up again. Their paths looked different, but they all circled back to the field, the court, or the pool with doctors’ clearance and plenty of persistence.
Jeff Green Played With a Rebuilt Heart
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Before he rejoined the NBA, Jeff Green’s aorta had to be reconstructed. The former Celtics forward discovered an aortic root aneurysm in a preseason physical and underwent open-heart surgery at 25. A year later, he was back on the court with a nine-inch scar and a padded tank under his jersey.
Carrie Deutsch Made Her CrossFit Comeback Count
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Carrie Deutsch underwent two heart surgeries before her 30th birthday, including a pulmonary valve replacement using pig tissue. Then came Dressler syndrome, a rare post-surgery complication. Eventually, she returned to CrossFit and began winning competitions. Her post-surgery form was better than her pre-surgery self.
Claude Bruni Finished a Marathon at 80
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After a double valve replacement and bypass surgery, doctors didn’t expect Claude Bruni to race again so soon. But three months later, he was at the starting line of the L.A. Marathon with his son. He jogged 13 miles and walked the rest, crossing the finish line at 9 hours and 6 minutes.
Kenneth Horsey Went From the ICU to SEC Football
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As a high school senior, Kenneth Horsey collapsed with pain in his side. The diagnosis was endocarditis, a heart infection requiring immediate open-heart surgery. Doctors told him he might never play again. Instead, he rehabbed through the summer, joined the University of Kentucky football team that fall, and eventually became a starter.
Ashley Klein Swam Back Into Competition
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Ashley Klein didn’t know she had a problem until a routine physical flagged her heart rate. Doctors discovered ventricular tachycardia, which had weakened her heart so much that it was pumping at only 13% efficiency. She underwent a high-risk ablation, recovered quickly, and returned to her water polo team that fall.
Xavier Crane Led His Soccer Team After Surgery
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By the time he was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, Xavier Crane had already made varsity. After his procedure, he walked 100 miles in six weeks, rejoined his team two months later, and was named captain twice. He later created a video guide to help other teens navigate post-surgery recovery.
Davis Love III Returned to the Tee Box at 61
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Davis Love III had a leaky valve discovered about a decade before his surgery, and even without symptoms, doctors insisted it needed to be replaced. He underwent open-heart surgery in early 2023. Around twelve weeks later, he teed up at the PGA Tour Champions event at TPC Sugarloaf.
Etan Thomas Took His Recovery One Lap at a Time
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Etan Thomas was sidelined for the entire 2007–08 NBA season after heart valve surgery. The former Wizards center had a congenital bicuspid aortic valve replaced, and found early recovery exhausting; short hospital walks left him spent. Still, he worked his way back and returned to the court the following year.
Kumar Seetharam Picked Up His Racket Again
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Kumar Seetharam suffered a heart attack mid-tennis session and didn’t realize it at first. Days later, he underwent quadruple bypass surgery. By focusing on breathing, walking indoors, and gradually building stamina, he returned to playing casual tennis with his daughter within three months.
John Hannon Biked Nearly 2,000 Miles After Valve Replacement
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After two open-heart surgeries, the second involving cow tissue valves, John Hannon started over from scratch. At first, he couldn’t jog a single block. A year later, he was riding a bike from California to Washington and signing up for Ironman races. He completed one full Ironman in 2023.