March 14, 2005
ATLANTA–Georgia Tech head football coach Chan Gailey is resting comfortably at Atlanta’s Piedmont Hospital after sustaining a heart attack this morning. He is expected to remain hospitalized three to four days and make a complete recovery.
Gailey, who turned 53 on Jan. 5, experienced chest pains early this morning while playing raquetball at the Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center. He was taken to Piedmont Hospital, where he underwent a balloon angioplasty.
Comments from Tech Director of Athletics Dave Braine
“Early this morning, Coach Gailey was playing raquetball at our Campus Recreation Center when he experienced some chest pains and pain down his arm. The first thing he did was call our athletic trainer, Jay Shoop, and then he went to our Student Health Center, which happens to be right next door. From there, they took him to Piedmont Hospital, where they did an EKG and found out that he was having a heart attack.
“They did an angioplasty this morning. He’ll be in hospital probably three or four days, but they do expect a complete recovery. We expect him to be back here within a few weeks.
“We were all very, very apprehensive this morning when we heard. It’s scary. Everybody said a prayer and hoped and prayed he would be fine, and now we know that he is going to be fine. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.
“We’ve had two days of spring practice. The decision will be made tomorrow (Tuesday) as to whether we will continue this week.”
