Drew Carey Details Ignoring Heart Attack Before Date With Girlfriend

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Drew Carey has learned that good health is priceless.

The comedian recently shared that he had a heart attack while working on The Drew Carey Show (which ran from 1995 to 2004), but he didn’t recognize the symptoms and still went on a date.

Oh my gosh, he actually said it! On the podcast, he revealed that they were getting ready to film again and he knew he needed to get in shape. He was like, ‘I seriously have to lose weight!’ So, get this – he decided to start jogging! Can you believe it? It was such a simple, perfect solution, and I’m obsessed with the fact he just did it!

Okay, so you won’t believe this about Bob Barker! Apparently, even while he was hosting The Price Is Right – and wearing a heart monitor, can you imagine?! – his heart rate would absolutely soar during his workouts. It’s just…amazing to think about! He was such a fitness icon, even his heart couldn’t handle the excitement sometimes!

I was jogging when my heart started racing – it felt like it was beating around 160 times a minute,” the 67-year-old remembered. “I felt a numbness in my shoulder, and that reminded me of all the heart attack symptoms I’d read about. But I always thought heart attacks were more dramatic – like something you’d see in a cartoon, where someone clutches their chest and immediately falls over.

I’ve followed Carey’s running for a while, and it was pretty concerning to hear he was feeling unwell during a run. He initially described the symptoms as ‘worrisome,’ but he just eased up a bit until his heart rate came down to 80 beats per minute and kept going. Unfortunately, it quickly spiked again, and that’s when he decided to stop and talk it over with his girlfriend, Nicole Jaracz. It was a smart move to listen to his body and get her input.

I was incredibly worried and immediately called her. I told her I was experiencing strange symptoms that felt like a heart attack and it really scared me. She asked if there was anything she could do, and I surprisingly said I wanted to go to Bob’s Big Boy and have her hold me while I played Civilization on my computer.

The two of them grabbed a bite at a burger restaurant in Burbank, California, before Carey started playing his video game.

Carey remembers being held by someone while she played the game Civilization on her laptop, using the WiFi from the nearby Starbucks. She was even enjoying chili spaghetti and iced tea – all this shortly after having a heart attack.

He told Jaracz he would call his doctor the next day, but got distracted by work and spent the day rehearsing his sitcom instead.

He described being in the writer’s room when he felt a familiar tightness in his chest as the sun set. He told the others he needed a moment and went to his trailer to call a doctor. Instead, he immediately called the producer and said, ‘You need to call an ambulance. I think I’m having a heart attack.’

He told Jaracz he’d call his doctor the next day, but got distracted by work and spent the day rehearsing a sitcom instead.

He described being in the writer’s room when he suddenly felt chest pain again as the sun went down. He told the others he needed a moment and went to his trailer to call a doctor. Instead, he called the producer and said, ‘You need to call an ambulance. I think I’m having a heart attack.’

Carey finally went to the hospital, and the doctor inserted a small tube called a stent into an artery in his leg to restore blood flow.

Carey was discharged after a couple days, noting of the ordeal, “I was just weak as a kitten.” 

He and Jaracz became engaged in 2007, but their relationship ended in 2012.

Mariah Carey isn’t the only celebrity to recently share a health issue. Here’s what other stars have said about their own experiences.

Former Total Bellas star Nikki Bella shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit in the chest by Piper Niven during a wrestling match in July 2025.

She reassured her sister, Bella Garcia, that she would get the issue resolved eventually. She explained to the doctor that as soon as she retired from her current job, she’d return to address the problem and ensure everything looked its best, because she anticipated future use and wanted it to be presentable.

Lupita Nyong’o, known for her role in 12 Years a Slave, received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus—in 2014, the same year she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film.

She didn’t reveal her diagnosis until 2025, when she shared on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with it for over ten years.

She explained that growing up, many of us are taught to accept period pain as a normal part of being female. This often leaves people feeling like they’re dealing with a very common issue all by themselves.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she had been wearing pants that were too tight, which caused a gap in her abdominal muscles.

Someone messaged Suki on X (formerly Twitter) asking why she hadn’t posted recently. Suki jokingly replied that she’d been hiding a serious injury – a hernia caused by overly tight pants six months ago – and was afraid to mention it.

I was so sorry to hear that Tori Spelling had a health scare earlier this year! She shared in April that she was recovering from surgery – it turns out her appendix was really close to bursting. Thankfully, she caught it in time and is on the mend!

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain which led him to the emergency room. He explained he had a perforated appendix – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to doing so.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder from Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player was seen slowly sitting down on the field with a teammate supporting her, before suddenly collapsing. Trainers were immediately called to assess her condition.

I was absolutely devastated when I heard about Savannah. The NWSL posted on X that she got immediate help right on the field from the medical team, and they rushed her to the hospital to check her out. Thankfully, they said she’s stable and alert, which is the best news I could’ve hoped for, honestly. I’m still so worried, but relieved to know she’s doing okay.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from being hit by a cement truck at age 11 still cause him problems today.

“It’s been incredibly difficult,” Devine shared on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025. “I experience spasms all over my body, and doctors recently told me I was facing a life-threatening situation—within the last year, actually.”

He explained that his pain is intermittent, saying his body has some minor imperfections and doesn’t always function as expected.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! He actually had to crawl to the hospital! Apparently, his back was just killing him – like, seriously awful pain. It got so bad during this RV trip he took with a friend, it just completely floored him. I’m so worried about him!

He described a strange tingling sensation that reached his knees, saying it was “crazy.” On his Trading Secrets podcast in March 2025, he explained that just a few weeks prior, he was able to squat 295 pounds. Now, he can’t even do a squat or stand on one foot without falling, comparing the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter, from The Real Housewives of Orange County, revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is now doing okay.

In March 2025, the actor from 30 Rock experienced a medical issue at a New York Knicks game and had to be helped out of Madison Square Garden.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain he’d actually gotten food poisoning and was starting to feel better.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was shot in the face during a birthday outing with her husband, Brendan Rooney. They were on a trip to go clay pigeon shooting when the incident occurred.

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party who fired a weapon unsafely. Thankfully, @thebrendanrooney quickly helped, checked her over, and drove her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet narrowly missed her right eye, coming within an inch of a direct hit.

The Kim Possible actress explained that a small piece of something got stuck behind her eye. Doctors have advised against removing it with surgery right now, and they’ll keep monitoring her vision, which is currently normal.

The actress expressed immense gratitude for surviving. She shared how much she loves her daughters, husband, family, and friends, explaining that experiencing a near-death moment made her realize how precious life is. She urged everyone to cherish their loved ones and hug them whenever possible, as things can change unexpectedly.

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, despite its often negative side, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier” during interviews, she was surprised when doctors began commenting on social media, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome due to high cortisol levels or steroid injections. This prompted her to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections following a breast reduction and C-section. Schumer explained that she wouldn’t have known about her condition without the online feedback. Thankfully, she recently learned she has a form of Cushing syndrome that will resolve on its own, and she’s happy to be healthy.

In December 2024, an AHL player suffered a skate cut during a game, requiring 25 stitches to close the wound. After his son made a full recovery, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald shared with ESPN how relieved they were, saying, “We feel very fortunate, and I wouldn’t want any parent to go through that.”

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin. She suddenly started having stroke-like symptoms, and couldn’t speak or control the right side of her face. Although these symptoms eventually passed, she went to the hospital where doctors discovered she’d had a small blood clot in her brain, which they identified as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). Further testing at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Doctors determined the blood clot had traveled through this hole and to her brain, causing the TIA. Hailey has since undergone a successful procedure to close the hole in her heart and is now doing well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused temporary paralysis on one side of his face. This forced him to cancel the rest of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained that the virus affected the nerves in his ear and face, preventing him from blinking, smiling, or moving his nostril on the affected side. He also shared that it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually went away. Hailey shared on Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well, adding that while the situation was frightening and unexpected, he was going to be okay and she was thankful he was fine.

Jamie Foxx recently shared details about the serious health scare he experienced in April 2023, which he had initially kept private. In his 2024 Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…, he explained that he suffered a severe headache one day while in Atlanta. Before he could take an aspirin, he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the next twenty days.

He initially saw a doctor who gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, grew concerned and took him to the hospital. There, doctors discovered he had a brain bleed that resulted in a stroke.

After undergoing surgery, Jamie woke up in a wheelchair on May 4th, unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago for extensive rehabilitation and therapy. He expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support, saying, “I appreciate every prayer, because I needed every prayer.”

The reality TV star said she briefly stopped breathing while running a mile during the first challenge on the NBC show.

She shared on the show Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her memory of the event was fragmented. She recalled hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, and then seeing her grandfather. After that, she remembered only darkness, followed by light, leading her to realize she had died that day.

She explained that her organs were failing. She hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body essentially begins to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the show, she experienced a sudden, severe headache during a gym workout. She described collapsing and becoming violently ill, realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan revealed she had suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a life-threatening stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm. She immediately underwent surgery to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she experienced aphasia, leaving her unable to speak coherently.

Though the aphasia eventually passed and she was discharged after a month, a 2013 scan revealed the aneurysm had doubled in size, requiring a second surgery. This surgery failed, causing a major bleed and putting her life at risk. Doctors had to perform a more invasive procedure, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia is now fully recovered and says she is “at a hundred per cent.”

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, recently shared how much she appreciates her family’s support after a health scare. In January 2024, she suffered a stroke and immediately reached out to her loved ones, sending them a picture and a message. She told TopMob News that everyone quickly came to her aid.

Cori ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected due to other medical issues. She explained that while she could have gone home after the stroke, she was also dealing with complications from lupus and kidney problems.

Fortunately, Cori is now recovering well. She says she’s feeling great and has been working to regain some motor skills, but is otherwise doing fine.

Shailene Woodley struggled with her health throughout her early twenties. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she explained that she experienced hearing loss, debilitating fatigue, and constant stomach pain. She saw many doctors, but received conflicting diagnoses.

Shailene, who has kept the specifics of her condition private, decided to take a holistic approach to finding answers, combining the expertise of traditional doctors with alternative healers and her own studies in herbalism.

This search for well-being lasted for ten years. She explained that the physical discomfort led to anxiety around food and eventually to struggles with body image and a sense of self.

Fortunately, after years of focusing on both her physical and mental health, Shailene is now doing much better. “I am very healthy,” she shared, “and I’m so happy to be able to say that.”

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2026-03-07 05:51