The referee who collapsed during Gonzaga‘s matchup against USC in the NCAA tournament had a blood clot in his lung, the Indianapolis Star reported on Friday. Bert Smith told the publication the fall might have saved his life.
He was officiating the Elite Eight matchup last month in Indianapolis when he suddenly collapsed near the Gonzaga bench. Medical personnel and other staffers rushed toward him. Players on both teams returned to their respective benches.
Smith regained consciousness and he was alert as he was carried off the floor on a stretcher. Medical personnel at Lucas Oil Stadium treated Smith, who later went to a local hospital. That’s where he learned his scary fall was related to a blood clot in his lung.
“You don’t know where that clot was going next,” Smith told the Indianapolis Star’s Gregg Doyel.
He was released after two days in the hospital.
“It puts in perspective the value of each day, because we all go through our lives – we’re all guilty of it – and we just live, right?” Smith told the publication. “But do we say ‘I love you’ enough? Do we give an extra hug enough? Do we do the things with our family and friends that have value to them? When you live something like I did, it hits you square in the eyes that you really have to value each day.”
A replacement official was added to the crew after Smith collapsed.
After the game, Gonzaga’s Mark Few said he walked over to Smith as he was being placed on a stretcher to offer his support.
“He’s a great official, great person,” he said after his team’s 85-66 win to advance to the Final Four. “I mean, I was just shocked and scared for him, but I was able to stick my head in there a little bit and see that he was talking and coherent and tried to say a quick prayer for him and just wished him the best.”
