Shane Warne had just completed an extreme diet before his death, his manager has revealed. The leg-spinner passed away of a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand on Friday.
Shane Warne finished his international career with 708 Test wickets and a further 293 in One-Day Internationals, placing him second in the list of all-time international wicket-takers.
Shane Warne Had Completed An Extreme Fluid Only Diet For 2 Weeks Before His Untimely Death: James Erskine
James Erksine said Shane Warne was essentially consuming only fluids for 14 days — a diet he has undertaken before — shortly before suffering a suspected heart attack in Thailand.
“He did go on these ridiculous sorts of diets … and was just finished one, where he basically only ate fluids for 14 days, and he’d done this three or four times. He was a bit all or nothing, it was either white buns with butter and lasagne stuffed in the middle, or he’d be basically having these black or green juices,” Erskine said.
“I just think it was a massive heart attack, I think that’s what’s happened,” he said.
Thai police have also revealed Shane Warne was suffering chest pains before he left Australia for a holiday in Thailand. Police Colonel Yuthana Sirisombat told reporters on Saturday night his family had informed them of the late cricket legend’s history of heart disease and asthma and their concern about his health before he left Australia last week.
The 52-year-old had recently seen a doctor about his heart, according to the Police Colonel. He said it was these family revelations — and a review of CCTV footage — that led police to rule out any foul play in the father-of-three’s death. Shane Warne’s body has been sent to Suratthani Hospital for an autopsy, as his family fights for it to be returned to Australia as soon as possible.
“A large amount of blood was found in the room,” Pol Maj Gen Satit Polpinit, commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police, said.
“When CPR was started, the deceased had coughed up liquid and was bleeding.”
A masseuse had visited Shane Warne on Friday but police were not clear on what time of the day. Around 5.15 pm he was found face down on his bed after a suspected heart attack by close friend Andrew Neophitou, who was an executive producer on a recently released documentary on Shane Warne’s life. The first day of the Test match between Australia and Pakistan was playing on the television in his room.
“They were meant to meet some people at 5pm. Neo was next door, he’s always on time,” James Erskine said.
“He realised he wasn’t well. He tried to give mouth-to-mouth, tried to resuscitate him, he had no heartbeat, the ambulance came 20 minutes later and an hour and a bit later he was pronounced dead.”
Police confirmed no drugs were found in the room but took samples from a water bottle. James Erskine rejected any claims Shane Warne’s death was linked to his reputation as a man who liked to party. He was visiting close friend Gareth Edwards, a poker-playing mate who runs the resort, to begin what was supposed to be a three-month trip.
“He was on holiday, having a lie down, siesta, he hadn’t been drinking, he’d been on this diet to lose weight. He didn’t drink much. Everyone thinks he’s a big boozer but he’s not a big boozer at all. I sent him a crate of wine, 10 years later it’s still there. He doesn’t drink, never took drugs, ever. He hated drugs, so nothing untoward.”
Shane Warne passed away on Friday aged 52 due to a suspected heart attack. The former spinner’s manager James Erskine said that the legendary spinner’s children are trying to come to terms with the tragedy.
Ian Healy Not Surprised By Shane Warne’s Premature Death
It came after Aussie cricket’s great Ian Healy said he was not surprised by Shane Warne’s premature death. Ian Healy said he was worried Shane Warne would have been battling cancer at a young age.
“An early passing didn’t surprise me for Warnie,” Healy said.
“He didn’t look after his body that well. He didn’t put much sunscreen on. I thought it would have become skin issues for him over time, but not at 52. And he would have been full of beans right to the end, I bet.”
Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy had the best seat in the house for a lot of Shane Warne’s wizardry, watching on from behind the stumps in the first half of the late spinner’s career.