Kevin Smith is planning a vegan Thanksgiving (22.11.18) after suffering a massive heart attack earlier this year.
Kevin Smith
The 48-year-old filmmaker almost died in February when one of his major arteries - known as the "widow-maker" - became clogged and slowed the flow of blood to his heart.
Since then, the 'Clerks' star has opted for a much healthier lifestyle, shedding more than 50 pounds in the process, and says that for the annual American holiday this year - where families usually tuck into a turkey - he'll be swapping the meat for a vegan alternative.
Kevin and his daughter Harley Quinn, 18, have partnered with Farm Sanctuary's 33rd annual Adopt a Turkey Project, choosing to rescue a turkey instead of eating one.
In a video for the project, Kevin said: "You're always told by older people it's OK to eat animals, we're supposed to eat animals. And, you know, for a long time, that's what my generation believed. Now we know a lot better.
"There's nothing I miss. This'll be the first year that we're breaking the chain with tradition. Nobody's going to be eating any bird."
The Thanksgiving holiday sees people give thanks for the things in their lives, and the 'Red State' director says he's most thankful for still being alive.
He said: "It's easy, man, I'm thankful I'm alive. And then I'm thankful for my kid who was like, 'Yeah, go vegan.' I'm thankful I got good advice. I'm thankful I followed it, to be honest."
Kevin also posted on Twitter to share the video clip, and said he wasn't trying to pressure anybody into becoming vegan.
He wrote: "Please don't let this article trigger you if you're anti-Vegan. I'm not telling you to be a Vegan too - just relating what our family Thanksgiving is going to be like, post-heart attack. But for the Vegan-curious? When I dropped meat, cheese, milk & eggs, I dropped 58 pounds too."
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