A New York City dad who suffered sudden heart failure and nearly lost his life is sharing his story of survival after a successful heart transplant, encouraging all men to “go to the doctor right away if you feel like something’s off — life is too precious to sit idly by.”
Andre Rodrigues was a 40-year-old CrossFit-loving fitness buff and school principal enjoying summer vacation when something suddenly went terribly wrong.
The father of two was with his kids in his native Portugal in August 2023 when he experienced alarming flu-like symptoms he had never felt before.
“I just felt very sick — I never coughed as violently — it hurt,” Rodrigues, now 42, told The Post.
At five-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Rodrigues should have been the portrait of health in the prime of his life — a clean eater who took pride in exercising with an at-home rower. But he became a shell of himself as months went by without one good day.
“It was shocking — there was no warning,” he said. “It came on fast and furious.”
He sought answers from six different doctors “to try to get to the bottom of what was happening.”
But the array of antibiotics and nasal sprays for a diagnosis of pneumonia and an upper respiratory infection didn’t cut down the symptoms.
The physical change was dramatic as he hit 190 pounds due to the fluid retention.
“What I noticed was completely abnormal,” said Rodrigues, adding that discovering the appearance of abnormally swollen ankles made him fear it was a heart issue.
After two months of mysterious symptoms — including constant shortness of breath and exhaustion — Rodriguez darted for the Mount Sinai ER, where he stayed for 12 days.
Instead of a cold or respiratory virus, he learned that it was severe heart failure.
“There were a lot of really scary nights in the hospital,” he said, adding that “not seeing my kids grow up was my worst thought. It’s still my worst thought and fear.”
He said it was myocarditis, a condition increasingly associated with young males and the Covid shot, which led to his heart failure.
“The cause of the myocarditis is unknown,” he added.
Since he had no family history of it and “genetic testing cleared me of [anything],” the doting dad felt grateful that he wouldn’t pass it down to his son and daughter, ages 9 and 11.
HIs heart was functioning at 10%.
“The term they use is end-stage heart failure,” he said, noting that the normal rate is 50% or higher.
But under the care of Mount Sinai’s Dr. Anuradha Lala, he tried a variety of medications aimed at improving function of the heart and minimizing the rate at which his heart was deteriorating.
Though genetic testing yielded ”no genetic basis” for his condition, the doctor told The Post. “We don’t know the exact reason that Andre had heart failure. But to me, his journey is about recognizing symptoms, knowing when to ask for help, attuning your mind to your body and coming to terms with being sick.”
“Building trust and a personal connection is so critical — especially for younger folks, who may just want to run away from the issue,” added Dr. Lala, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiologist at the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital.
He worked closely with his team, had regular blood work and various tests done under therapeutic care, but there was no improvement. Other organs, including kidney and liver, were affected because they weren’t getting enough healthy oxygenated blood.
Surviving for his kids was his biggest motivation. “I was motivated to play soccer with them again and run around with them and they kept me really motivated” to get through this ordeal, he said.
But by the fall of 2024, he needed to pivot.
“My heart could not bounce back and I needed to be put on the transplant list” while in Mount Sinai’s ICU and an impella was used to help his left ventricle pump.
Under the care of a team that included cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Anelechi Anyanwu, Rodrigues matched with a viable heart and underwent a successful eight-hour surgery in late October.
Back at his Museum School in Chelsea, Manhattan, staff and students sent hundreds of emails and letters of support for the fourth-year principal, who forced himself to let go of his fears and put his complete faith in his team.
Though he doesn’t know much about his donor, he’s grateful for the “gift” that gave him life.
By early January, Rodrigues was ready to return to his beloved school, where staff and students lined the hallways to welcome him back.
“It’s a wonderful community where students show so much empathy — towards one another and to me,” he said of the emotional reunion.
The future remains bright for Rodrigues, who noted life will be different “but also beautiful at the same time.”
And, yes, that includes CrossFit in his future.
“The road is still long, but nothing compared to what he was on,” added Dr. Lala, who urged the public not to write off anything that feels worrisome. “The intention isn’t to promote fear, but to instill awareness, around symptoms that should prompt further evaluation.”
Rodrigues’ message to others is to seek medical help if something feels off.
“This is your life. This is your life and life is too precious to sit idly and not have a proper diagnosis. And even when the diagnosis is scary, trust the medical professionals and move forward with courage.
“Have a positive mindset and trust the medical professionals. Keep advocating for yourself and your health.”
