Pervan on His Fight for Life: 'I Was Supposed to Die Twice, They Removed My Heart and Put It Back'
The comedian reveals dramatic details of his heart surgery and how he drowned at night due to a congenital defect on his 64th birthday.
The comedian reveals dramatic details of his heart surgery and how he drowned at night due to a congenital defect on his 64th birthday.
Željko Pervan celebrates his 64th birthday today, August 7, 2026. This year is particularly celebratory for him as he also marked three decades on the stand-up scene, and for that anniversary, he is currently on a tour. However, behind his cheerful comedic facade lies a dramatic health struggle that he has now spoken about with a dose of his signature dark humor.
In an interview with Story.hr, Pervan summed up three decades of his career in his own unique way. "I realized I've been doing this for 30 years, which is devastating for any being-to do something for 30 years. If this job weren't what it is, I would have given up," he said. Then, without hesitation, he moved on to the toughest moments of his life.
"I was supposed to die at least twice by now. A huge artery burst, and I had half an hour. Then they took my heart out, fixed it, and put it back. I was supposed to die two years ago too; then we wouldn't be celebrating a round anniversary but a memorial one, with many more journalists," the comedian recounted, not shying away from jokes even when talking about his own mortality.
The comedian had previously described in detail, for Story.hr, the origin of his health issues. "It was a congenital heart defect that was discovered when I was 16. It worked while it worked, and then the poor heart got tired," he recalled. After his condition became critical, he underwent a serious surgical procedure during which doctors implanted a new left atrium.
"The doctors implanted a new left atrium of Israeli-American production, and I have serial number 1665, like my personal ID number," added Pervan, condensing a complex medical procedure into a recognizable quip.
Pervan also spoke about the terrifying symptoms that preceded the surgery. He described waking up in the middle of the night with a feeling of drowning. "For instance, at 2 a.m., I'm drowning. The heart pumps water into the lungs-really nasty-and then I sit up, and it passes because the water goes down. It was nasty and disgusting," he said.
Today, he says he is fine and sums up his current state briefly: "Today I'm fine, there's nothing to it-either it works or it doesn't."
After the surgery two years ago, in 2024, Pervan withdrew from the public eye and devoted himself to caring for his wife, Darija. The couple has been married for 35 years and has four daughters: Ines, Doria, Mia, and Pavla. As Story.hr reports, the family finds strength and hope in their strong faith and prayer, as well as in their grandchildren, who adore Grandpa Željko.
