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HEART'S CONTENT
I couldn’t play sports as a child due to an undiagnosed heart problem – but I went on to win four Super Bowls with 49ers
Jesse Sapulo later kept his condition quiet to pursue his NFL dreams
NFL icon Jesse Sapolu gave his heart to the San Francisco 49ers.
The offensive lineman overcame a dangerous heart condition to enjoy an illustrious 15-year career with the 49ers in which he won four Super Bowls.
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It was an incredible achievement for an athlete who contracted rheumatic fever as a young child in Samoa.
The condition went undiagnosed for years and left Sapolu with a tear in his aortic valve.
Sapolu was left constantly short of breath during physical activity.
The condition could have been treated with penicillin but the medicine was not readily available in his native Samoa.
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After the family moved to Hawaii, Sapolu was told he could not take part in physical education classes.
But after growing to 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Sapolu was determined to play football.
And he successfully kept his condition a secret to pursue his NFL dreams.
After starring for the University of Hawaii, Sapolu was drafted by the 49ers in 1983.
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Sapolu's condition – which included an enlarged heart – was discovered by doctors at Stanford Hospital.
But he was cleared to play in the NFL with regular monitoring and echocardiograms.
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He went on to have an illustrious career with the 49ers, which included two Pro Bowl appearances while knowing the dangers he was under.
"It was a mental pain because I knew from a young age that I had to achieve," Sapolu told The U.S. Sun.
"I wasn't going to let anything stop me from playing.
"I would be asked if I felt like I was about to fall over because I'm out of breath. I replied, 'Yeah but the guy I'm playing against he's about to fall over'."
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November 5 - Trade deadline
January 5 - Week 18 of regular-season
January 11 - Playoffs begin
February 9 - Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
Sapolu avoided surgery for the majority of his career as he thought his playing days would be numbered.
But after medical advances, he had open-heart surgery in 1997 before returning to the 49ers for a 15th and final season.
"After my 13th, 14th year it got enlarged to the point where it was dangerous so they went in and operated on me," he added.
"And I came back and played one more year."
In 2012, Sapolu received a new mechanical valve that required him to take blood thinners.
Sapolu now works as a volunteer for the American Heart Association and as a global ambassador for the 49ers.
He was recently in England for a joint event between the 49ers, NFL Foundation UK and Leeds United Foundation to promote the Unlocking Potential program.
It aims to provide greater access to educational and sporting pathways to young people in Leeds.
"It's our hope also to promote flag football, which will become an Olympic sport in four years," Sapolu adds.
Sapolu is confident that the 49ers will have another successful season after reaching the Super Bowl.
"Success in San Francisco is you've got to win it all," he says.
"I think to get there you've got to have consistency and Coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have made it to the NFC championship game four of the last six years and went on to the Super Bowl.
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"And they just have to close the deal. They had a really, really good chance to win the game.
"It didn't happen. They have to come back stronger and try again."
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