Yet Another Heart Attack Grill Customer Dies

John Alleman, a 52-year-old unofficial spokesman for Las Vegas's death-happy Heart Attack Grill, has died after suffering — yup — a heart attack. Alleman reportedly ate at the restaurant nearly every day, despite owner "Doctor Jon" Basso's warnings that Triple Bypass Burgers really weren't everyday food. This follows two similar incidents last year. How long before someone takes action here?

Alleman's death follows several previous fatal and near-death incidents connected to the restaurant. In March 2011, the 575-pound official spokesman for the restaurant's original Arizona location died at the age of 29, just four months after taking the job. Basso said he was devastated by the news, but quickly relocated the restaurant to Las Vegas.

Following the move, in February 2012, a man in his forties went into cardiac arrest while trying to finish a Triple Bypass Burger, and was wheeled out to an ambulance. The incident got international press.

In April of that year a woman fell unconscious at the restaurant while allegedly eating, drinking, and smoking. Basso beamed in the L.A. Times about all the publicity, referring to the sort of people who would order the Quadruple Bypass as being "that very bleeding edge, that avant-garde of risk takers."

That same month, the Guinness Book of World Records awarded the Quadriple Bypass Burger a prize for "most calorific burger," clocking in at 9,982 calories.

Via: http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2013/02/heart-attack-grill-vegas-spokesman-alleman-dies.html

Heart Attack Grill Spokesman Dead at 29

Blair River was a big guy with a big heart.

River, who stood 6-foot-8 and weighed about 575 pounds, gained a measure of fame in the past year as spokesman for the Heart Attack Grill, a west Chandler restaurant that specializes in thick hamburgers and fries. He died on Tuesday at the age of 29 after only 3 months on the job.

The cause of death is currently unknown, but friends are speculating that it was the result of his contracting pneumonia after a bout with the flu.

Heart Attack Grill is an unabashedly unhealthy restaurant - the menu consists of huge burgers, milkshakes and fries cooked in lard - and having such a big man as a spokesman was part of its tongue in cheek "glorification of obesity." But those who knew River said he was more than the larger-than-life caricature he portrayed in promoting the restaurant.

Restaurant founder Jon Basso said he got to know River, first as a customer at the restaurant before working with him after he became the grill's spokesman.

"Cynical people might think this (River's death) is funny," Basso said. "But people who knew him are crying their eyes out. There is a lot of mourning going on around here. You couldn't have found a better person."

River was a state heavyweight wrestling champion in 1999 as a senior at Payson High School and he went on to play football at Mesa Community College.

He lived in Mesa and worked as a financial adviser at the University of Phoenix.

"He was a nice guy, very energetic and full of life," said Alex Arreola, a waitress at the grill. "He was always talking about his daughter and he always seemed to know the right thing to say to people."

Basso said River was the "creative genius" behind the promotions and was always coming up with new ideas for spots for the restaurant. They were even planning to shoot a spot called, "Heart Attack Grill: The Musical."

"Even if he was skinny we would have given him the job," Basso said. "We would have just put a fat suit on him. He just had personality."

Basso said they had to stop showing some of the ads featuring River on the video screens in the restaurant because they made some of the staff too emotional.

"We're like a family here and he was part of our family," Arreola said. "He will be missed. He'll definitely be missed."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/2011/03/03/20110303chandler-heart-attack-grill-spokesman-dies-500-pound-man0303.html?nclick_check=1#ixzz2KjtS766W