Legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman posts major health update after almost dying from sepsis
Legendary bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman isn’t letting a life-threatening medical emergency slow him down.
Coleman, 61, was hospitalized in July with sepsis – a condition that arises when the body reacts improperly to infection and can prove to be fatal.
However, less than two months on from the terrifying ordeal, the eight-time Mr Olympia winner is back in the gym.
Coleman shared a video with his 12 million followers on Instagram on Tuesday, showing off his remarkable progress as he pumped iron.
‘Slowly getting back into training since my Sepsis attack,’ Coleman said in the caption.
‘Yeah Buddy, now when I say Lightweight Baby. You can bet your last dollar that it is Lightweight for real. It’s all good though because one day soon I’ll be back to my old self lighting my old weights.’
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman recently suffered a health scare with sepsis
The 61-year-old shared an update with fans Tuesday, revealing that he was back in the gym
While he admitted that he wasn’t lifting anything like the tons he did at the peak of his career, the fact that he was able to workout at all marked a miraculous recovery for Coleman, who admitted in July that he had come perilously close to losing his life.
The Louisiana native revealed just how close he came to losing his battle with sepsis, 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.’
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 to raise awareness.
Concerns over his health initially arose after he was forced to postpone a scheduled trip to the UK in July.
The update marked a miraculous recovery for Coleman less than two months after the scare
The 61-year-old is pictured with his wife Susan Williamson and three of his daughters
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.
