The unexpected death of martial arts legend and global icon Jackie Chan at the age of 69 has left fans and colleagues in shock. As tributes pour in from around the world, a startling revelation has emerged regarding the actor’s health: Jackie had been secretly battling a serious heart condition for several years, one that he chose to keep hidden from the public.

Sources close to the Chan family have confirmed that the actor had been suffering from a rare heart arrhythmia, a condition that causes irregular heartbeats and can lead to severe complications. Though Jackie began experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath and dizziness in the past few years, he kept the diagnosis private, continuing to work on film sets and perform his own stunts, as he had always done.

«Jackie never wanted to be seen as vulnerable,» said a close friend. «He pushed through his health struggles because he didn’t want to disappoint his fans or appear weak.» Despite the condition’s progression, Jackie continued to film high-intensity action scenes up until his last project, The Last Strike, where his health reportedly began to decline significantly.