Actor and comedian Billy Gardell is recovering after being stricken with pneumonia that resulted in atrial fibrillation during a trip to Pittsburgh.

Gardell, a Swissvale native, joined 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Show on Thursday to recount the scare.

He had performed in Erie last week and came to Pittsburgh for Sunday night’s Steelers game. He’d been feeling run down for a few days but was trying to tough it out. He figured he had a cold.

But, on Monday, Gardell said he could barely walk upon waking. His wife, Patty, who was traveling with him, convinced him to seek medical treatment instead of going to the airport.

First, he went to a UPMC facility in Cranberry and was later transferred to UPMC Passavant in McCandless. He was released on Wednesday and is still in town.

Doctors ran tests when he arrived at the hospital and told Gardell he had pneumonia. On top of that, he was dehydrated and had atrial fibrillation — his heart was not pumping correctly.

Gardell, who is 56, became emotional when he talked about the caring nature of the UPMC staff — from technicians to doctors — and how well he was treated. He said many of the younger workers didn’t know who he was.

“The way they treated me, this young, beautiful staff — and when I say beautiful, I mean in the way they do their job, and the way they were so proficient and caring” he said while choking up. “I’ve got to give so much love to the people of UPMC.”

Cardiologists treated him with medication, including beta blockers, and a cardiac procedure got his heart pumping normally again.

Gardell said he wasn’t afraid, possibly because he knew he was in good hands in Western Pennsylvania.

“I should have been more scared, but I’m with my wife, and I’m in my hometown,” he said.

Gardell mentioned the technician who ran his CT scan by his first name, Bob.

“He must have been doing this for 40 years, and he had that Pittsburgh tone,” Gardell said, again pausing. “I’m really filled with gratitude today, forgive me.”

Before the scan, Gardell said Bob calmly told him how the dye would feel entering his body.

“OK, Bill this is going to go in and it’s going to get in hot in your neck, you’re gonna feel like you’re peeing your pants, but you’re not. Keep your arms crossed,” Gardell said, while laughing. “I go, ‘OK Bob, I appreciate that. Where you from Bob?’ He goes, ‘Monessen.’ ”

After joking about the scare, he talked about how happy he is to be alive and in Pittsburgh.

“I’m blessed,” he said. “We’re just going to spend the next few days in Pittsburgh. I thought, ‘Let’s stay in Pittsburgh and get strong.’

“I’m very grateful to be here with you guys.”

Morning show host Randy Baumann joked that Gardell texted him on Wednesday, saying he’d just gotten out of the hospital but still planned to join the show on Thursday.

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