Christopher 'Kid' Reid Reveals He Had a Heart Transplant

Christopher "Kid" Reid must really have a new lease on life ... because he underwent a heart transplant.

The actor revealed the big news during Thursday's episode of "Good Morning America," and he told Michael Strahan he initially brushed off symptoms of heart failure ... and chalked them up to stress from years of living on the road.

The 61-year-old recalled feeling "a little more fatigued than before," along with some "shortness of breath" and he noticed he was "sleeping a lot more than normal" ... all of which he dismissed at first.

Reid's symptoms got worse last summer, and he checked himself into a hospital -- where he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood to supply the rest of the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic -- and it's worth noting the condition can be fatal.

Reid was then told he'd have to undergo a heart transplant, and his surgeon, Dr. Laura DiChiacchio, said Reid was dealing with "a life-or-death situation."

Reid's medical team found him a new heart in nine days, and successfully transplanted it in a late-night surgery. It's unclear exactly when the surgery took place ... but he's now recovering.