Back in November, Bishop T.D. Jakes sparked concern after collapsing on stage during a sermon—a moment that quickly went viral. Now, he's revealing that the incident was the result of a "massive heart attack."
Speaking on the TODAY show on Wednesday (March 26), Jakes recalled the shocking moment.
"I didn’t really realize what was happening to me onstage until I got to the hospital in an ambulance," he shared. "And the doctor leaned over in my ear and said, ‘You’ve had a massive heart attack.’"
Jakes admitted he was stunned by the diagnosis, as he hadn't experienced the typical warning signs.
“I just kind of drifted off to sleep. I didn’t know what it was," he explained. "[The doctor] said five minutes later, I’d have been dead on arrival. The right side of my heart had completely stopped pumping blood. As long as I was up preaching, I felt fine. But when I sat down, the adrenaline dropped, exposing the fact that I had been preaching with half of my heart blocked by a clot.”
The 66-year-old bishop revealed that he was awake during the clot-removal procedure. Looking back, he now realizes how close he was to death.
"I later knew that I was on my way out when I passed out on the pulpit," he said. "In retrospect, it was such a privilege to stand on the other side—to get a little glimpse of what that might be like, at least in that moment. I think it was absolutely amazing."
Jakes also expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support he received in the aftermath.
"My whole church—globally, not just my congregation—along with people who don’t even attend my church, were sending prayers. I’m so thankful.”
Source: Instagram
