Renaud Lavoie confirms it: he suffered two strokes last Friday

Last Friday, Renaud Lavoie was not at his post at the Bell Centre during Game 6 of the series against Tampa Bay. He had, however, been working (primarily on the radio) earlier that day.

TVA Sports reported that the reporter was dealing with a health issue.

The journalist was also not in Florida on Sunday for Game 7 of the Canadiens' first-round series. His on-air duties were handled by a team of reporters.

And now, the man himself has published a letter to thank people for their support during these difficult times, but also to explain what happened.

Renaud Lavoie confirms he suffered two strokes on Friday at the Bell Centre.

“Hockey took a back seat”: Renaud Lavoie suffered two strokes on Fridayhttps://t.co/fSjmEOVJcE

— Le Journal de Montréal (@JdeMontreal) May 5, 2026

Basically, on Friday, he was warming up before the game. He felt a “pop” in his head and became dizzy. He was quickly attended to by the Canadiens' medical staff.

Other symptoms appeared, and he was taken to the hospital. His headaches were considered severe, and the reporter is aware that it could have been much worse.

“If the blood clots that formed in my brain had been even slightly larger, I wouldn't be able to write to you right now.

I was alert, and that helped me.” – Renaud Lavoie

The reporter, who thanked many people for their support, is not the first physically fit man to suffer a stroke—or even two, in his case.

It's a good reminder to everyone that humans aren't invincible.

overtime

Even though it must be hard for him to be on forced rest while the Canadiens are in an exciting playoff race, rest will be important in the coming weeks. We hope he gets the rest he needs.

And thankfully, he's alive. That's the most important thing of all.