Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman has revealed how his teenage daughter helped save his life as he opened up on his severe health battle.
Coleman’s family announced earlier this month that the 61-year-old had been ‘admitted to hospital’ before later revealing he had suffered an ‘infection in his bloodstream’.
On Tuesday, the former Mr. Olympia spoke out for the first time since being hospitalized with sepsis – a life-threatening medical emergency that arises when the body reacts improperly to infection.
The Louisiana native revealed just how close he came to losing that battle, if not for his 13-year-old daughter.
‘Man, let me tell you, these past few weeks have been some of the toughest of my life,’ he said in a video shared to his Instagram.
‘Your boy was hit with sepsis, and it nearly killed me. Had it not been for my 13-year-old daughter, it probably would have.’
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman recently suffered a health scare with sepsis
The 61-year-old is pictured with his wife Susan Williamson and three of his daughters
Coleman didn’t expand on how his daughter helped prevent the disease from killing him. The bodybuilder has six daughters – two from his previous marriage and four he shares with his wife and personal trainer Susan Williamson.
‘Y’all know me, I’ve been faced with battles in my life, but nothing like this,’ he continued. ‘I’m still here because the grace of God still wants me to be here. The support I get from all of y’all, that all helps out a lot.’
Coleman went on to announce that his horrific ordeal had inspired him to support the Sepsis Alliance ro raise awareness.
Concerns over his health initially arose after he was forced to postpone a scheduled trip to the UK last week.
In an Instagram post, Coleman broke news of his illness as he wrote: ‘Hey guys, I hate to break it to y’all, but I won’t be able to make it out to the UK this week like I planned. Unfortunately, I had a medical emergency and had to stick around here in the U.S. for treatment.
‘But don’t worry… I’m in great hands, getting the best care, and I’m staying strong through it all. I’ll be back and better than ever, and I can’t wait to get out there and see you all real soon!’
His family later revealed that Coleman would require emergency surgery after doctors discovered an ‘underlying health issue’ during testing to identify the source of the infection.
Coleman holds the, joint, all-time record for most Mr. Olympia titles at eight.
He’s also previously won 26 International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) titles and retired back in 2007 after his reign as Mr. Olympia came to an end.
