Gbari Gilliam, a Los Angeles dancer celebrated for his versatility and community work, was hospitalized after suffering cardiac arrest at a rehearsal last week and may need a heart transplant.
Friends and family have been by Gilliam’s side since he was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Those who know his story say it’s no surprise people are supporting him. Gbari has been a long-time presence in the city’s dance scene, sharing his talent and lifting the community.
Dancers in Los Angeles know Gilliam for his skill and versatility. He grew up in Oakland before studying at UCLA.
“He does different dance styles, he does house, hip hop,” said Shantel Urina, Gilliam’s girlfriend and dance partner of six years.
Urina described Gilliam as a cornerstone in her life and the lives of many others. “He’s like the person you talk to when you need someone to talk to and you need someone to lean on,” she said.
Tuseda Graggs-Borden, Gilliam’s mother, said her son is “kind, sweet, [and] charming. His name is Gbari Denzel and he has that star quality about him. I always imagined that for him. To be that kind of light.”
Family and friends said their love for Gilliam is deep, but so is their heartbreak over what happened last Friday.
“I got the call that he had collapsed, and by the time I got the call, the paramedics were there working to revive him,” Graggs-Borden said.
Choreographer and dancer Comfort Fedoke said a nurse happened to be nearby and helped save Gilliam’s life.
“Luckily, someone was there, someone who just so happened to be a nurse,” she said. Graggs-Borden added, “I believe she saved his life. If she had not been there, it’d be a whole different story.”
Gilliam was rushed to Cedars-Sinai, where doctors diagnosed him with a rare heart condition.
“He had an undiagnosed condition, what the doctors believe is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” Graggs-Borden said. “It thickens the walls of the heart and makes it hard to pump blood. He is stable, and the doctors are weighing our options, but we are looking at a heart transplant.”
Facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, friends started a GoFundMe campaign. The community has reportedly stepped up to help.
“Because he’s poured so much into other people, it’s really beautiful to see so many people pouring it back into him in this moment,” Urina said. “I feel like this is just a testament to the work he’s put into other people.”
Fedoke urged the broader public to support the dancer.
“I just beg for anyone who cares, who can see that movement is our communication, dance is our language and art is our community… I just ask to continue to pray for us. If you can’t donate… Gbari is needed in our world, and he is still here. He is still fighting.”
Graggs-Borden remains hopeful for her son’s recovery.
“God’s plan seems to be working out, and I just believe that he’s going to be back out there, dancing his heart out, doing what he loves… being that light. Being that light. I’m looking forward to that,” she said.
As friends and family sit by Gilliam’s bedside, they are also hoping to locate the Cedars-Sinai nurse who administered CPR and assisted paramedics last Friday. Graggs-Borden said she wants the nurse to stop by so she can give her a hug to show her thanks and appreciation.
