‘You’re not immune from this.’ GSU QB with heart condition from COVID-19 sends message to players

ATLANTA — The Georgia State University football player diagnosed with a rare heart condition associate with COVID-19 says he wants people to know that the virus is real, and it can happen to you, too.

Mikele Colasurdo, who is a freshman and backup quarterback for the GSU Panthers, posted to Twitter last week that he was sitting out this football season after the diagnosis.

He spoke with Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein on Tuesday about his recovery. Colasurdo said he had tested positive for COVID-19 while back home in South Carolina but returned to school after testing negative for the virus twice.

Colasurdo said his trainer at GSU suggested he get his heart checked out as there were a handful of players from around the country that were having heart issues stemming from COVID-19.

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An EKG showed that his heart wasn’t running efficiently and now Colasurdo will not play football for the Panthers in 2020.

He told Klein the reason he got COVID-19 to begin with was that he was selfish, didn’t wear a mask, didn’t socially distance and his message to others -- especially college football players all over the country – is that the virus is real.

“A lot of people have heard, yeah this can happen, this is a possibility, but to put a face with a story it makes it more real, especially me being a 19-year-old athlete, a healthier person. I’m not someone who’s had a previous condition or anything like that,” Colasurdo said. “Just so everyone realizes, you’re not immune from this. This can happen to you, too. That was the big reason for me wanting to do this today.”

Colasurdo said he’ll have a check-up with a cardiologist in the next few weeks, but it’s going to be at least 2-3 months before he’ll be allowed to do anything that’s more strenuous than walking.

Doctors seeing heart issues as lasting side effect in COVID-19 patients A GSU football player announced he would be out for the season because of a heart condition after recovering from COVID-19.

Cox Media Group