40-year-old dies of cardiac arrest 10 minutes after texting boss for sick leave

A tragic incident in India has left colleagues and family reeling after a 40-year-old man died of a sudden cardiac arrest just minutes after texting his manager for sick leave.

According to media reports, Shankar—described as “healthy and fit” by his manager KV Iyyer—had worked at the company for six years. Married with a young child and known for his disciplined lifestyle, he neither smoked nor drank.

On the morning of 13 September, Shankar messaged Iyyer at 8.37am: “Sir, due to severe back pain I am unable to come today. Please grant me leave.”
“I replied as usual, telling him to take rest,” Iyyer recalled in a now-viral X post.

But within 10 minutes of sending the message, Shankar collapsed from a cardiac arrest. News of his death reached Iyyer around 11am, leaving him “completely shocked.”

“A man, fully conscious, texted me just 10 minutes before his last breath. I am shaken,” Iyyer wrote.

He urged people to cherish those around them, adding: “Life is unpredictable. Be kind and live happily, because you never know what the next minute holds.”

The story has triggered widespread conversations online about the dangers of silent heart attack symptoms. Many highlighted that back pain, fatigue, nausea or sweating can be early warning signs often mistaken for gastric issues or muscle strain.

One user wrote: “Life is truly unpredictable and we are fighting over petty reasons. May his soul rest in peace.”
Another commented: “So tragic, considering his age and family. Om shanti.”
A third added: “Tragic! We are hearing such incidents more frequently now, especially among people in the 35–45 age group, even those leading disciplined lives. What are we missing here?”

Others flagged a more worrying trend. “Nobody is paying attention, but post-Covid sudden cardiac arrests are becoming a national issue. There are countless such cases across the country, many even captured on CCTV. I hope the government and healthcare professionals treat this as an urgent matter,” one user said.

Doctors stress that survival chances are highest if treatment is given within the first 60–90 minutes, underscoring the need for awareness of atypical heart attack symptoms.