DENVER -- The family of former Colorado Rockies' President Keli McGregor said Monday that he did not die of a heart attack but of a virus that attacked his heart.

"Keli McGregor had the heart of a lion. He did not die of a heart attack or of any other preventable heart condition. Instead, his healthy heart was attacked by a rare virus which, unfortunately, infected the heart muscle, causing the lymphocytic myocarditis that led to Keli’s death," the family said in a statement.

McGregor, 48, was found dead in his hotel room in Salt Lake City on April 20. He was on a business trip with Rockies Chairman and CEO Charlie Monfort and Executive Vice President Greg Feasel.

"In an unusual manifestation of a viral illness, this organism infiltrated his heart muscle and disrupted the electrical pathways that signal the heart to beat properly. The heart muscle may have recovered from the viral attack had these electrical pathways not been destroyed, but the muscle may have been permanently weakened and destined for eventual heart failure. This infectious process most likely occurred during the last week of Keli’s life, causing nothing more than flu-like symptoms," the family statement said.

The family said just as a healthy brain can be infected with viral meningitis, a healthy heart can be infected with viral myocarditis.

"Keli McGregor was a champion of the physical and spiritual health of the heart. He acted as a strong advocate for the early detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease, both with the Rockies and throughout Denver and Colorado," the family said. "Keli lived an active life and had his cardiovascular status evaluated regularly. Unfortunately, even a heart as strong as Keli’s can, in rare cases, fall victim to these microscopic viral invaders. Like you, we miss Keli every minute of every day. We’re so very grateful for the love and support shown to our family and we wanted to share this information with all of those who, like us, have searched for answers."

Prior to joining the Rockies, McGregor was associate athletic director at the University of Arkansas, and coached football at the University of Florida. He was a two-time All-American tight end at Colorado State, was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round and played for Denver, Indianapolis and Seattle before retiring from the NFL.

According to the Rockies' website, McGregor was in his ninth season as club president, and had been involved in the Rockies organization for 17 years.

Additional Information About Mycocarditis:

• From Google Health
• From Mayo Clinic
• From Medline Plus