Grant Wahl, the famous football writer died due to a thoracic aortic aneurysm during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Read to know more about the condition.
What is a thoracic aortic aneurysm, the cause of Wahl’s death?
Grant Wahl, the American football writer mysteriously died last week. This sudden and unexpected death shocked everyone who knew him and his fans alike. Several speculations suggesting retaliation by Qatar’s government were floating online. However, his family revealed his death was due to a fatal tear in a major blood vessel that leads out of the heart.
“I do feel some relief in knowing what it was,” stated Dr. Celine Gourder following an autopsy in the US. Dr. Gounder is Wahl’s wife and, an infectious disease expert. She stated that Wahl probably died in an instant and did not feel any pain. As per the autopsy, he had an “ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm”. It is the weakening of blood vessels that is usually undetected. However, as it grows, it may lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, or cough, similar to what Wahl experienced in Qatar.
More on the condition
Aneurysms are localized weakening of blood vessel walls that leads to bulging in the area. The bulging leads to the widening of the vessel by over 50 percent of its regular diameter. An aortic aneurysm is the bulging and weakening of a per of the aorta. Moreover, it increases with time as the walls of blood vessels become progressively weaker. However, the vessel may burst, triggering a bleed and eventually be life-threatening.