Weak heart does in ‘Weakest Link’ bet

A contestant of the popular TV game show "The Weakest Link" died from too much excitement before the start of the taping of the show in Marikina City last Tuesday.

The death of Gary Gonzaga, 33, a real estate broker and resident of 107 Daisy Street, UPS 4, Parañaque City, was not reported to the local police, said Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Marikina City police chief.

But Michael Gomez, a member of the Marikina "Rescue 161," said they received a call from the game show studio at River Grille, Riverbank, at about 11:18 a.m. Tuesday informing them that somebody suffered chest problems before the start of the taping.

"Weakest Link" is aired on IBC-Channel 13 every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Gomez said the responding Rescue 161 team rushed Gonzaga to the Sta. Monica hospital after he complained of difficulty in breathing.

Gonzaga arrived at the hospital at about 11:30 a.m. and 45 minutes later was declared dead by attending physicians.

The cause of the victim’s death was not yet determined as of yesterday but initial reports claimed that Gonzaga could have succumbed due to heart failure when the excitement of having made it as one of the game show’s contestants overwhelmed him. The show has eight contestants per episode.

Gonzaga’s widow Terry said her husband could have been too excited about making it to the game show, although she pointed out that he had no history of heart disease.

Reports said the show’s producer Viva-TV shouldered all hospital expenses of Gonzaga, whose body now lies at the Don Bosco chapel in Parañaque City.