Rick Harrison, the 61-year-old star of History Channel's Pawn Stars, has had emergency bypass surgery, just eight months after marrying a wife nearly two decades younger than him.
Harrison went in for what was meant to be a routine stent procedure when doctors discovered a more serious problem that required bypass surgery instead, a spokesperson for his family told TMZ on Friday.
The surgery was a success, and the reality star is now resting comfortably as he works toward a full recovery, according to the insider. Representatives said Harrison is grateful for the treatment and care he has received from the doctors and staff at the hospital.
One of the people who stood by him through the ordeal was his wife, Angie Polushkin, 42, a nurse based in Las Vegas.
A Las Vegas wedding in January
Harrison and Polushkin married in January, with an Elvis Presley impersonator presiding over the ceremony at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.
In a joint statement to People at the time, the couple said they were "so excited to start this next chapter as husband and wife and celebrate with friends and family in Las Vegas." They added, "It has been such an adventure already, and we are looking forward to all of it."
Speaking to TMZ after the ceremony, Harrison said: "I'm happy we've made it official and excited for our celebration in Cancun later this month." He had proposed to Polushkin with a 6.5-carat ring, and said he was "lucky to be able to call" her his new bride. Of his spouse, the businessman and reality star added, "She's the best."
After the ceremony, Harrison, his new wife and their loved ones celebrated at his restaurant, Rick's Rollin Smoke BBQ & Tavern.
Who was there, and who wasn't
Harrison did not have a best man present for the wedding, a spokesperson for the reality star told TMZ. His Pawn Stars co-star Chumlee was not on hand, while his son Corey lives in Mexico, according to the outlet. Harrison's granddaughter, Elizabeth Harrison, was present for the ceremony.
Pawn Stars follows the day-to-day business at Harrison's Las Vegas pawn shop, World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which he runs with family members including his son Corey. The show has run on History Channel since 2009 and turned Harrison and his relatives into reality television fixtures.
How the engagement happened
Harrison and Polushkin revealed they had gotten engaged in March 2025. At the time, Harrison posted on Instagram from a trip to Chile with the caption, "She said yes!"
Polushkin shared her own carousel of photos from the trip, writing in the caption: "We toured a beautiful winery in Chile and Rick got down on one knee."
Harrison's past marriages and family losses
Harrison has been married four times before. He was previously wed to Tracy Harrison, with whom he shares son Jake, and to Kim Harrison, with whom he had two sons, Corey and the late Adam, who died in 2024 at age 39 as a result of accidental fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity.
He was also married to Deanna Burditt until their split in 2020, and to Amanda Palmer from 2021 to 2023.
The new year appears to be starting on a positive note for Harrison, who has faced a series of family tragedies over the past decade. Those losses include the death of his mother, Joanne Harrison, at 85 in November 2025, and the death of his father, Richard Harrison, from Parkinson's disease at 77 in June 2018.
