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TV Chef Cheats Death, Shares Harrowing Italy Ordeal

Summary

  • TV personality Brian Malarkey had a medical emergency while on vacation in Italy
  • Malarkey experienced seizures and thought he was going to die, but survived
  • Malarkey's girlfriend Danielle Harley recounted the incident on their podcast
TV Chef Cheats Death, Shares Harrowing Italy Ordeal

In November 2025, popular Food Network personality Brian Malarkey, 53, shared a terrifying medical incident that occurred while he was on vacation in Italy with his girlfriend Danielle Harley, 35. The couple were playing tennis when Malarkey suddenly experienced a frightening episode, seeing dark spots and feeling like he was going to pass out.

Harley called for medical assistance, but Malarkey initially resisted, feeling embarrassed and not wanting to cause a scene. However, his condition quickly deteriorated, with Malarkey describing "complete chaos" and "full-blown seizures" that left him feeling "scared to death." At one point, he told Harley "I love you" in case he didn't survive.

Malarkey was unsure if he was having a stroke or heart attack, but as he turned to his side, he "saw the white light" and felt the spirits calling him. Fortunately, Malarkey ultimately recovered and was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined it was likely a panic response. The incident left Malarkey grateful to have overcome death, saying "I just overcame death. I had a finger in death's door right there."

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.
Brian Malarkey, a regular on Food Network shows, suffered a medical emergency while on vacation in Italy with his girlfriend Danielle Harley. He experienced seizures and thought he was going to die, but ultimately survived the ordeal.
Harley initially called for medical assistance, despite Malarkey's protests, as his condition quickly deteriorated. She recounted the incident on their podcast, describing Malarkey's brush with mortality.
Malarkey was unsure if he was having a stroke or heart attack, but at one point he "saw the white light" and felt the spirits calling him, thinking he might not survive.

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