Kim Zolciak plans surgery after mini-stroke

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, October 8, 2015

Atlanta reality star Kim Zolciak flew to New York to speak to "Good Morning America" two weeks after experiencing a mini-stroke that led to her forced departure from ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

"It was a blessing in disguise," Zolciak said. "The minor TIA revealed that I have a PFO, which is like a hole in your heart that I was born with it and it never closed. That's what caused it basically."

She didn't feel like her disqualification was fair. She said she could have danced. Doctors had told her not to fly five days after the stroke. She said she rehearsed the dance and could have done it via satellite or they could have judged her taped performance.

"I really do love the show," she said. "But the lawyers made the final decision."

When asked about accusations Zolciak had faked the stroke for sympathy points, she said: "It's sick anybody would think that... I don't think many people would fake a stroke."

She plans to return for the season finale.