Former basketball coach Heo Jae (60) revealed his health issues after retirement.
On the 19th, the MBN special program commemorating its 30th anniversary, "To Live, You Must Run," aired a story about Heo Jae's challenge to run a marathon.
Heo Jae, who is called a basketball legend, shared, "After retirement, I became a terrifying three-meal eater at home," revealing his current situation. He added, "But when I go out, there’s really nothing to do. It’s been over 20 years since I retired. My physical condition is worse than that of an ordinary person. I’m worse off than Chef Jeong Ho-young."
Heo Jae also mentioned, "My heart isn’t good, so I’m visiting the hospital. I have arrhythmia and things like that. They say everyone my age has something like that," explaining, "I haven’t exercised in a long time." He continued, "I stayed at home for about a month or two. The kids have all grown up, my wife is out, and being alone made me feel depressed," evoking sympathy.
On that day, Heo Jae completed a mission to run 5km, finishing last but persevering to the end. He stated, "If I overcome the expectation that I can't do it and run, my challenge might become hope. I think it could also be a new source of vitality for my life."
Meanwhile, Heo Jae is a legendary player who was nicknamed the "President of Basketball" during his playing days. After retiring, he transitioned to coaching and even served as the national team coach. In 2022, he was appointed as the representative of the newly established Korean professional basketball team, Goyang Carrot-Daywon Jumpers, returning to the basketball scene. However, due to operational crises and issues such as unpaid wages and fees, he faced expulsion from the basketball community, making it impossible for him to hold any representative, executive, or coaching staff positions in the league.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
