Kevin Smith shares selfie, says he suffered "massive heart attack"

Director Kevin Smith revealed on social media on Sunday that he suffered a "massive heart attack." The "Clerks" filmmaker shared a goofy selfie and assured fans that for now, he is "still above ground," but Smith also said that had he not canceled his second show on Sunday, he would have died. 

Smith wrote that he was trying to do a standup special and felt nauseous after his first show. 

"I threw up a little but it didn't seem to help," he wrote. "Then I started sweating buckets and my chest felt heavy. Turns out I had a massive heart attack." Smith said he headed to Glendale Hospital, where a doctor told him that he had "100 percent blockage" of his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, and that he would have died if he had stayed on stage to perform. Smith said of the LAD artery: "When it goes, you're a goner." The director also revealed that his father died from a massive heart attack. 

Smith said that the scary incident has left him reflective, and made him realize that he has finally faced his biggest fear and overcome it.

"I've had a great life: loved by parents who raised me to become the individual I am," he said. "I've had a weird, wonderful career in all sorts of media, amazing friends, the best wife in the world and an incredible daughter who made me a Dad. But as I stared into the infinite, I realized I was relatively content."

Smith admitted that he would be "bummed" to die before getting to a "Jay and Silent Bob" reboot, but he was "okay with the end, if this was gonna be it." Thankfully for Smith, it was not. 

"Total strangers saved my life tonight (as well as my friends @jordanmonsanto & @iamemilydawn, who called the ambulance)," he wrote. Smith added that now, maybe he'll even go vegan. He also said, "The point of this post is to tell you that I faced my greatest fear tonight... and it wasn't as bad as I've always imagined it'd be. I don't want my life to end but if it ends, I can't complain. It was such a gift."

I was trying to do a killer standup special this evening but I might’ve gone too far. After the first show, I felt kinda nauseous. I threw up a little but it didn’t seem to help. Then I started sweating buckets and my chest felt heavy. Turns out I had a massive heart attack. The Doctor who saved my life at the #glendale hospital told me I had 100% blockage of my LAD artery (also known as “the Widow-Maker” because when it goes, you’re a goner). If I hadn’t canceled the second show to go to the hospital, the Doc said I would’ve died tonight. For now, I’m still above ground! But this is what I learned about myself during this crisis: death was always the thing I was most terrified of in life. When the time came, I never imagined I’d ever be able to die with dignity - I assumed I’d die screaming, like my Dad (who lost his life to a massive heart attack). But even as they cut into my groin to slip a stent into the lethal Widow-Maker, I was filled with a sense of calm. I’ve had a great life: loved by parents who raised me to become the individual I am. I’ve had a weird, wonderful career in all sorts of media, amazing friends, the best wife in the world and an incredible daughter who made me a Dad. But as I stared into the infinite, I realized I was relatively content. Yes, I’d miss life as it moved on without me - and I was bummed we weren’t gonna get to make #jayandsilentbobreboot before I shuffled loose the mortal coil. But generally speaking, I was okay with the end, if this was gonna be it. I’ve gotten to do so many cool things and I’ve had so many adventures - how could I be shitty about finally paying the tab. But the good folks at the Glendale hospital had other plans and the expertise to mend me. Total strangers saved my life tonight (as well as my friends @jordanmonsanto & @iamemilydawn, who called the ambulance). This is all a part of my mythology now and I’m sure I’ll be facing some lifestyle changes (maybe it’s time to go Vegan). But the point of this post is to tell you that I faced my greatest fear tonight... and it wasn’t as bad as I’ve always imagined it’d be. I don’t want my life to end but if it ends, I can’t complain. It was such a gift. #KevinSmith

A post shared by Kevin Smith (@thatkevinsmith) on

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