The shocking death of celebrated American sportswriter Grant Wahl last week has left the sports world in mourning.
The New York Times bestselling author reportedly collapsed in the media tribune while covering Friday’s quarterfinal between Argentina and Netherlands. Medical personnel tried to revive Wahl for approximately 20 minutes.
Wahl, 49, was taken out of Lusail Iconic Stadium in Doha, Qatar on a stretcher by medical responders and later transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His body was transported back to the United States on Monday, where the New York City Medical Examiner’s office performed an autopsy, according to Wahl’s wife, Dr. Céline Gounder.
Grant Wahl’s wife, Dr. @celinegounder, reveals that the renowned journalist died due to an aortic aneurysm that ruptured at the World Cup.
Gounder says she hopes he is remembered as a “kind, generous person who was really dedicated to social justice.” pic.twitter.com/aaVkb2dhrb
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) December 14, 2022
Dr. Gounder appeared on CBS this morning and posted on Wahl’s Substack:
“An autopsy was performed by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium. The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms. No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”
Wahl had a tear in his aortic valve, which is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart. He experienced an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm, which often goes undetected.
Doctors are reportedly considering whether Wahl had Marfan syndrome, per the New York Times, as this genetic syndrome can be a risk factor for that type of aneurysm.
Gounder suspects her husband “probably died instantly” and did not feel pain. She said she wanted to ensure that “conspiracy theories” about his death were put to rest.
In the immediate aftermath of the death, Wahl’s brother, Eric, posted on Instagram that Grant was healthy and believes that the journalist was killed. He has since tweeted that he no longer suspects foul play.
Wahl’s coverage of the tournament was among the most prominent. He had been critical of human rights abuses and the rising death toll of migrant workers in Qatar due to the World Cup.
He was previously detained for wearing a t-shirt supporting LGBTQ rights ahead of the United States’ tournament opener against Wales and most recently called out the organizing committee for a lack of empathy over the latest migrant worker death during group play.
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