Veteran TV journalist Ray Martin reveals major health crisis: ‘I can’t afford to die right now’

Ray Martin has revealed he nearly died while filming an SBS documentary series about death in November last year.

The veteran journalist was filming the final scene for the three-part series Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye when he started feeling “really bad”.

The 79-year-old said The Daily Telegraphhe is “never sick,” so his daughter Jenna took him to the emergency room.

He was diagnosed with a blood clot in the heart, caused by a serious infection in the chest.

“It was the only time in my life that I thought, ‘This could be the end,’ because I was so drugged up,” he admitted.

“I’m 79, I’ve never been to the hospital and I thought, ‘I can’t afford to die right now.’”

Ray was checked by heart and lung specialists and doctors have now declared him healthy.

Last year, the veteran reporter stressed that he is far from done and that he is aging gracefully.

Ray Martin has revealed he nearly died while filming an SBS documentary series about death in November last year

“I’m never going to retire. David Attenborough is in his 90s and he’s my role model. He says keep doing what you love,” he told Woman’s Day magazine.

He added that his workaholic lifestyle prevented him from enjoying the important things in life and that he would never make that mistake again.

‘I lived in New York for 10 years as an ABC correspondent, working eight days a week, and yet I still think about all the things I didn’t do that I should have done.

‘You have forever to sleep, you just have to try.’

The esteemed A Current Affair presenter added that as he gets older, he wants to spend more time than ever with his children Jenna and Luke and two grandchildren.

He said he was “never sick,” so his daughter Jenna took him to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with a blood clot on the heart, caused by a severe chest infection.