ST. LOUIS – Nearly one year ago, former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was lifting weights in Jupiter, Florida, when he suddenly realized he didn’t feel quite right.
On Jan. 17, 2024, as he shared in an interview Tuesday with FOX 2 Sports Director Martin Kilcoyne on “The Kilcoyne Conversation,” Matheny felt unwell, went home, and considered lying down. Instead, his wife Kristen insisted on taking him to the emergency room, a decision that ultimately saved his life.
Matheny spent 20 days in an intensive care unit, where he was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that involves bleeding in the brain
“I’ve had some stuff happen before, but for most part I’ve lived a pretty charmed life,” Matheny told Kilcoyne, marking one of his first public conversations about the health scare. “But that was [an experience] that tested what you truly believe and truly what you feel.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, subarachnoid hemorrhages occur for around 10 to 14 out of every 100,000 people per year in the United States each year. Without proper medical attention, the condition could be fatal.
“They had to drill into the brain, into the skull, to relieve some of the blood pressure,” said Matheny on the treatment. “They were a little worried about how things would go with that. They don’t know exactly where it came from.”
Matheny described the experience as a test of faith and resilience, leaning heavily on support from his family and the St. Louis community.
“It’s impossible to properly explain the peace I had,” said Matheny on his gradual health improvements. “That’s a God thing that I can’t take any credit for toughness or anything else. It was a gift in the fact that I know what I know and I know who I am. I’m grateful I have that faith to put into action to see the natural flow of how this played out in situations like that. I’ve never been there before.”
Now, Matheny says he’s in better health and spirits, focusing on serving others and embracing a new sense of purpose.
Matheny and his wife mainly spend their time between Arkansas and Jupiter, Florida, with occasional visits to St. Louis. He currently helps out in various executive baseball coaching roles, offering guidance to other coaches in need.
“I’d say I’ve lived enough life for 10 men, and to be able to say that and also have an opportunity, there’s an urgency now to it,” said Matheny. “I want there to be an impact as I move forward. We’ll see what that means.”
“That’s a good place for me right now until God makes it clear where I’m supposed to be.”
A year of resilience
Matheny’s recent challenges didn’t just include his health scare. After being released from the ICU and returning to Arkansas, a tornado damaged his home.
“Once that came about, to add things on, we flew back to our home in Arkansas, and about a week later, we got our roof taken off by a tornado. It’s just been a year. But through it all, we got surrounded by love by our close friends and family.”
Cardinal memories
Matheny was the Cardinals’ primary starting catcher from 2000 to 2004, winning three Gold Glove awards. After retiring as a player, Matheny stepped into the Cardinals’ manager role from 2012 to 2018, compiling a 591-474 record and leading St. Louis to a 2013 World Series appearance.
After discussing his health scare in Tuesday’s interview, Matheny reflected fondly on his memories in St. Louis. He said, “It’s a heavy torch of being a St. Louis Cardinal. It was a big deal for me to live in St. Louis [and] to be able to manage an iconic franchise. What a great ride it was. It still has a huge place in my heart. I also know that game keeps moving, and I was fortunate to be there as long as I was.”
Remembering Bob Uecker
Over the year, Matheny developed a strong relationship with the late Bob Uecker, the beloved baseball broadcaster who died on Jan. 17 at the age of 90.
Matheny remembered him not only for having a sharp eye at catcher, but also his unmatched personality.
“Anybody who has spent anytime with him is immediately endeared to that self-depricating kind of personality,” said Matheny on Uecker. “He was funny, and whenever you were around him, you knew you were going to love him.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
#Mike #Matheny #reflects #neardeath #experience #life #mission
