Surgeon who operated on Richie Faulkner’s heart says the guitarist is alive because “the stars aligned”

A while ago, Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner was rushed into heart surgery after suffering a heart attack during a gig. Faulkner was rushed into surgery, which eventually lasted up to 10.5 hours. The band’s upcoming tour was then postponed to give Faulkner time to recover.

Faulkner underwent surgery at a hospital in Louisville. Now the doctor who operated on Faulkner, Dr. Siddharth Pahwa, has told us a little about the operation. According to him Faulkner is alive because “the stars aligned”.

“He was only four miles away, but miles equal minutes and he did not have many to spare. He had an outstanding emergency care team, he was close to a world class heart centre, and he was quick to recognise he needed help.”