Lewis Grizzard was one of the most popular and influential humorists in the American South. His witty and often self-deprecating columns, books, and stand-up comedy routines made millions of people laugh and relate to his observations on life, love, politics, and culture. But behind his cheerful and charismatic persona, Grizzard struggled with a congenital heart defect that eventually claimed his life at the age of 47. In this article, we will explore how Lewis Grizzard’s cause of death was related to his heart condition, and how he coped with it throughout his career.
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A Troubled Heart from Birth
Lewis McDonald Grizzard Jr. was born on October 20, 1946, in Fort Benning, Georgia. His father, Lewis Grizzard Sr., was a soldier in the U.S. Army who served in both World War II and the Korean War, and was a sole survivor of a Chinese attack that wiped out his platoon. His mother, Christine Word, was a school teacher who divorced his father when Lewis Jr. was young. Lewis Jr. moved with his mother to Moreland, Georgia, where he grew up with his grandparents.
Grizzard inherited a heart defect from his father, who also suffered from a faulty heart valve. According to Wikipedia, Grizzard had a bicuspid aortic valve, which means that his aortic valve had only two leaflets instead of the normal three. This condition can cause the valve to narrow or leak over time, leading to problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and heart failure.
Grizzard did not know about his heart condition until he was 21 years old, when he collapsed during a basketball game at the University of Georgia (UGA), where he studied journalism and became an avid fan of the Georgia Bulldogs football team. He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with aortic stenosis, which is the narrowing of the aortic valve opening. He underwent his first open-heart surgery in 1977, when he was 31 years old. He had a second surgery in 1983, when he was 37 years old.
A Successful Career as a Humorist
Despite his heart problems, Grizzard pursued a successful career as a writer and humorist. He started as a sports editor for various newspapers in Georgia, including the Athens Daily News and the Atlanta Journal. He moved to Chicago in 1975 to work for the Chicago Sun-Times, but he hated the city and returned to Atlanta in 1977. He then began writing a humor column for the Atlanta Constitution (later merged with the Atlanta Journal), which was syndicated to about 450 newspapers across the country.
Grizzard also wrote 25 books, many of which were bestsellers. Some of his most famous titles include Elvis Is Dead and I Don’t Feel So Good Myself (1984), Chili Dawgs Always Bark at Night (1989), Don’t Bend Over in the Garden Granny You Know Them Taters Got Eyes (1992), and Southern by the Grace of God (1996). His books were collections of his columns, expanded versions of his stand-up comedy routines, or autobiographical accounts of his life and relationships.
Grizzard was also a popular stand-up comedian and lecturer. He performed in theaters, clubs, colleges, and corporate events across the country. He often joked about his southern heritage, his failed marriages (he married four times), his love for UGA football, and his heart condition. He once said: “I don’t think I’ll live long enough to be president but I wouldn’t mind being commissioner of football.”
A Tragic End from Complications after Surgery
Grizzard’s heart condition worsened over time, and he needed more surgeries to repair or replace his damaged valve. He had his third surgery in 1988, when he was 42 years old. He had his fourth and final surgery on March 18, 1994, when he was 47 years old.
The surgery was supposed to remove a mass from his aorta and replace his faulty valve with an artificial one. However, according to Deseret News, Grizzard suffered extensive brain damage during or after the surgery due to an obstruction that broke off from his aorta and lodged in an artery that fed oxygenated blood to his brain. He never regained consciousness after the surgery and died two days later on March 20, 1994.
Grizzard’s death shocked and saddened millions of fans who loved his humor and admired his courage. He left behind his fourth wife Dedra Kyle whom he married just four days before his surgery at Emory University Hospital where he was admitted earlier that week. He also left behind many friends, colleagues, and admirers who remembered him as a talented writer, a hilarious comedian, and a quintessential southern gentleman.
A Lasting Legacy of Laughter and Love
Lewis Grizzard’s cause of death was a tragic result of his lifelong heart condition. But his legacy lives on through his writings, recordings, and memories. His books and columns are still widely read and enjoyed by people who appreciate his unique style of humor and insight. His stand-up comedy routines are still available on audio and video formats, and his voice can still be heard on radio stations that play his segments. His fans can also visit his hometown of Moreland, Georgia, where there is a museum dedicated to his life and work.
Grizzard once said: “I don’t want to go to heaven. I want to go to Moreland.” He may not have made it to heaven, but he certainly made it to Moreland, where he is buried next to his grandparents. He also made it to the hearts of millions of people who loved him for making them laugh and think. As he wrote in his last column before his surgery: “I have tried to laugh at whatever life threw at me. I hope I have made you laugh a little too.”
