Baseball legend Garret Anderson was dealing with multiple serious medical conditions when he died earlier this month, including a kidney three times larger than normal. The Los Angeles Angels icon officially died from acute necrotizing pancreatitis, the coroner revealed after his death, but now an autopsy has detailed further medical issues for the 53-year-old.
Autopsy Findings
According to TMZ, the World Series winner had a 'massive fatty liver' weighing nearly 9.2 pounds, while the average adult male's liver weighs around 3-4 pounds. In addition, he had 'hypertensive-type cardiovascular disease' and 'severe hepatic steatosis', the most advanced stage of fat build-up in the liver. Anderson was also diagnosed with cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart. A typical adult male's heart weighs between 250 and 350 grams, while his was 450 grams during the autopsy.
Death and Initial Reports
His death occurred on April 16 at the age of 53, after a medical emergency was reported at his home in Newport Beach, California. Anderson's wife, Teresa, had initially told ESPN that she believed her husband had died from a heart attack.
Career and Legacy
Anderson won a World Series with the Angels in 2002 during a 17-year career in baseball. He is the organization's all-time hits leader and became a three-time All-Star. The Angels said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Angels Hall of Famer Garret Anderson. Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond.'
Anderson, who grew up in Los Angeles, was drafted by the Angels in 1990 and leads the team to this day in games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292) and grand slams (eight). He went 9-for-32 in the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, driving in six runs. His manager Mike Scioscia said: 'He was really the foundation of our championship run back in 2002. Garret played hard, he wanted to win. He just was a terrific talent and a terrific person.'
After retiring, Anderson worked as a broadcaster covering the Angels. He entered the Angels' Hall of Fame in 2016. The Angels, currently 11-13, will wear a patch on their jerseys for the rest of the season in tribute to Anderson, featuring his initials and the years of his life.
