UPDATE (7/14): On July 13, Ronnie Coleman posted an update on his condition, confirming that he was “battling complications from sepsis.”
Per the American Journal of Medicine, “sepsis is a clinical syndrome defined by a systemic response to infection.” Symptoms can include “abnormalities in the inflammation, immune, coagulation, oxygen delivery, and utilization pathways play a role in organ dysfunction and death.” (1)
“It’s been a long and scary two weeks battling my complications from sepsis — one of the toughest fights of my life,” Coleman wrote on Instagram. “But I couldn’t have fought so hard without the love and support from all of my fans and especially my wife, Susan.”
ORIGINAL STORY: On June 30, eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman was confirmed by his family to be undergoing treatment for an infection in his bloodstream. He was admitted to a hospital the night before for what was said to be a “serious medical emergency.”
The sudden health scare was sufficient for Coleman to cancel his United Kingdom appearance.
That update was followed by another more optimistic post on Tuesday, July 1, which noted that Coleman’s transfer to a specialized medical facility, where he remained under close medical supervision.
“While his condition remains complex, there have been encouraging signs of progress,” the statement read in part.
Coleman is one of two athletes who have won the Mr. Olympia title eight times; the other is Lee Haney. Haney was one of many bodybuilding stars and legends to post messages of support for Coleman. Others include Chris Cormier, Phil Heath, and Derek Lunsford, among many others.
Coleman’s reign atop the bodybuilding world lasted from 1998 until 2005. He was considered one of, if not the strongest, bodybuilder of all time, which experts claim is the reason for the 13 surgeries he has undergone.
Coleman amassed 26 pro wins throughout his career, including his eight Sandow Trophies and the 2001 Arnold Classic. He is a member of the International Sports Hall of Fame and received the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement award in 2021.
BarBend will continue to share confirmed updates from Coleman and his family as they are made.
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Reference
- O’Brien JM Jr, Ali NA, Aberegg SK, Abraham E. Sepsis. Am J Med. 2007 Dec;120(12):1012-22. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2007.01.035. PMID: 18060918.
Image credit: B.Stefanov / Shutterstock.com
