NFL longsnapper Jon Dorenbos shares story of his emergency open heart surgery

The talented NFL longsnapper and musician Jon Dorenbos had a serious health scare last month. After the Eagles traded him to the Saints, Dorenbos had a physical with his new team. Doctors discovered the 37-year-old had an aortic aneurysm.

Thursday, Dorenbos shared details of his emergency open heart surgery.

One month ago today I underwent emergency open heart surgery. My wife never left my side. She held my hand every step of the way. Life is crazy. One min I was a professional athlete, the next min I was fighting for my life. The video in this collage shows how the simplest things in life we sometimes take for granted. May we all be thankful for the beautiful people and world that surround us every day. To the UPENN Cardiac Care Nurses (Silver10) you all are #Saints – thank you! You make this world a better place. #SpecialPeople – Dr Bavaria, whom performed my surgery, I love you man!! You are a genius. You are an artist. You are a savant. Thank you for making valve replacement and aortic aneurysms your thing!! You are the best in the world for a reason. This world is a better place with you in it #ImAlive #goodDay

A post shared by Jon Dorenbos (@jondorenbos) on Oct 12, 2017 at 3:13pm PDT

“Life is crazy,” Dorenbos wrote. “One min I was a professional athlete, the next min I was fighting for my life…may we all be thankful for the beautiful people and world that surround us every day.”

In the caption he expressed gratitude for the medical staff that saved his life. It seems unlikely that Dorenbos will play in the NFL again, but there is certainly a happy ending to this story.