P.E. Instructor, 23, ‘Felt One thing Was Fallacious’ After First Marathon, Learns He Has Coronary heart Illness a Week Later (Unique)

“I eat clear. I do not drink alcohol. I handle my physique. I used to be doing the correct stuff,” says Thomas Pritchard, who was stunned to study he had atrial fibrillation

Thomas Pritchard felt like he was in his good well being earlier than being recognized with a life-changing well being situation.

As a former athlete, the 23-year-old from Fort Myers, Fla., prioritized train and maintained a nutritious diet through the years. When he began a brand new job as a bodily training instructor, he determined to discover a pastime to maintain himself energetic.

“I began to fall in love with lengthy distance operating so I signed up for my first marathon with my sister on November 26, 2023,” he tells PEOPLE. However the thrilling milestone in his health journey was about to show right into a well being scare. “After finishing the marathon, I felt one thing was improper however I did not essentially freak out straight away. I simply ran 26 miles so I figured I wasn’t imagined to really feel that good.”

Regardless of initially brushing it off, Pritchard says the sensation in the end returned every week later.

“I awakened and my coronary heart fee was beating extraordinarily quick and I knew at that second one thing was improper. It felt like a flutter, one thing wasn’t proper,” he explains. “So I went to pressing care and so they put an EKG on my chest and so they stated, ‘You need to go to the emergency room straight away. You will have atrial fibrillation.’”

Associated: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Speaks About His Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis, Importance of Getting Your Heart Checked

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that may result in blood clots, stroke, coronary heart failure and different heart-related problems, in response to the American Heart Association. Signs embrace coronary heart racing, chest ache, shortness of breath, light-headedness and fatigue.

Whereas hospitalized, Pritchard underwent an ablation, a surgical process to create scar tissue inside the center to assist preserve a standard coronary heart rhythm. Nevertheless, he had an extended keep within the ER as a consequence of problems along with his imaginative and prescient. He additionally discovered after screening that he had “a gap in my coronary heart.”

“I used to be recognized with coronary heart illness and needed to have my coronary heart process. I lived in worry the following month and a half to 2 months. I had a lot worry, like, oh my goodness, I am so younger,” he remembers.

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to remain up-to-date on the very best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from celeb information to forcing human curiosity tales.

Pritchard met with quite a few medical doctors, together with cardiologists and neurologists, who instructed him that sadly, his wholesome way of life couldn’t have prevented his prognosis.

“My heart specialist stated, ‘Hear, there’s nothing you are able to do. If it begins to exit of rhythm, you then’ll come again in and we’ll repair it and we’ll handle it.’ I bear in mind sitting within the hospital and pondering, ‘Oh my goodness, I’ve eaten clear. I do not drink alcohol. I handle my physique. I am in fairly good bodily form.’ I used to be doing the correct stuff, that is the loopy half. So clearly this was at all times imagined to occur,” he says.

Pritchard admits that understanding that side has been “the wonder in regards to the prognosis” and helped him settle for it shifting ahead.

“There was some peace once I discovered there’s nothing I can do. I actually consider it is one of many biggest information I’ve ever gotten. It forces me to dwell within the current. It forces me to dwell with out worry.”

Associated: Tamra Judge Says She’s ‘Confident’ Eddie Judge’s Sixth Heart Surgery ‘Did the Trick’

Since his prognosis, Pritchard has labored along with his heart specialist to return to health and even has hopes of changing into a energy and conditioning coach.

Final month, Pritchard was in a position to run one other race, doing so alongside his college students for his college’s annual on-campus marathon, which was sponsored by The Heights Basis and American Coronary heart Affiliation. He now runs to lift consciousness for these dwelling with coronary heart situations like AFib.

“I spotted I may increase an excellent sum of money for these foundations. After which I spotted it was in regards to the consciousness half,” he tells PEOPLE. “Everybody can see, oh that is the younger P.E. instructor operating with coronary heart illness. It was such a particular occasion and I used to be so grateful to be part of that.”

Pritchard provides that the well being scare, and studying the way to handle his energetic way of life with AFib, has “modified my life.”

“It is given me this data and I’ve simply been wanting to study and looking out up on social media the way to get higher at operating with coronary heart illness. So it has given me a lot perspective,” he says. “In the end,  this factor has been a blessing.”

For extra Individuals information, make sure that to sign up for our newsletter!

Learn the unique article on People.