Korean rapper Psy‘s “Gangnam Style” dance has gone from viral to deadly. According to reports, a 46-year-old IT worker from the UK collapsed with chest pains and died over the weekend after doing the world-famous dance at an office party.
Eamon Kilbride‘s wife Julie, who was celebrating her birthday at the time, said he had been doing the energetic dance moves (that include galloping like a horse and looking like a damn fool) with his co-workers, and dropped to the floor seconds later after complaining of chest pains.
Mrs. Kilbride told the UK’s Sun:
“We were having a fantastic time at the Christmas party and Eamonn had just finished dancing to Gangnam Style. He was up on stage and entertaining everybody. He said he had a bit of a pain and just collapsed.”
Kilbride was transported to a nearby hospital where he was officially pronounced dead. The coroner told the family that he had suffered from acute heart failure, or what is commonly known as a heart attack.
His wife added, “Eamonn was such an intelligent man, he inspired our children and made sure they had a good education. He loved me dearly and would tell people all the time. I know he thought the world of us.”
In addition to his wife, Mr. Kilbride leaves behind three children, who are all away at college.
With an impressive view count approaching 1 billion views (nearly 950 million exactly at the time this post was published), Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and its accompanying ridiculous dance has quickly become the official YouTube sensation for 2012.
But experts warn older men to stay within their own “comfort zone” when it comes to dancing.
As one cardiologist told The Daily Telegraph, “The chance that you’ll come to grief is very small. But as with any form of untypical exercise … be somewhat measured. Let the lady dance around you.”
That’s right fellas, just let the lady dance around you.
