Death by ‘Gangnam Style’: Man Suffers Heart Attack after Dancing at Office Christmas Party

A father of three collapsed after dancing to Psy’s ubiquitous hit song during his office Christmas party.

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Psy performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre LA Live on Dec. 3, 2012 in Los Angeles.

A father of three collapsed and died from a heart attack after dancing to Psy’s “Gangam Style” at his office Christmas party in Blackburn, northern England.

On Saturday night Eamonn Kilbride, a 46-year-old IT manager at Thwaites brewery, had been enjoying the party at the Whitehall Country Club in Darwen, Lancashire with his wife, Julie — who was also there celebrating her birthday. Julie Kilbride told the Sun that her husband had been up on stage dancing and “entertaining everybody.” Shortly after, he collapsed.

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After failed attempts at resuscitation, Kilbride was rushed to Royal Blackburn Hospital, where paramedics pronounced him dead shortly after 11:30pm. A coroner’s report indicated that he died from acute heart failure, a condition which can be exacerbated by vigorous exercise.

The news has prompting health professionals to warn individuals not to “stray outside [their] comfort zone” during the festive season. Professor Bernard Keavney, a cardiologist at Newcastle University, told the Telegraph that men should “be somewhat measured” about the exercise they do. He added:

“I certainly wouldn’t say that people need to avoid “Gangnam Style” over the holidays. [But] if you’re unused to taking vigorous physical exercise, you shouldn’t throw yourself into violent exertion without due preparation.”

Eamonn Kilbride is survived by his wife and three children: Laurajade, 22, Jack, 21 and Conor, 18. His wife told the press after the tragedy that her husband was “always the life of the party and loved dancing.”

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