Bernie Kosar is one of the most beloved sports figures in Cleveland’s history. Through the years, he has been very open about his health battles following his years in football.
“I’ve had 40 some surgeries, 80 broken bones, 100 concussions, 15 seizures, last couple of seizures you know I was in a coma for 72 and 96 hours,” said Kosar.
But now he’s talking publicly about the private health battle he’s been waging for months, liver failure.
“To be put on the liver transplant list was incredibly, you know, scary,” he said. Over the last seven months Kosar estimates he’s spent 40-to-50 nights in the hospital and underwent 20 to 25 surgeries.
“Literally eight, ten weeks ago I felt like I was on my death bed and being told you’re probably not going to be able to survive things like this.”
I was with Kosar in March at an event at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the day doctors were presenting his case to the transplant board.
“That was right, the day when I was told that I need it and you saw me. I looked like I needed it that day. I thought for sure not only am I having (a transplant.) And my question wasn’t like do I need it or not,” Kosar recalled, “how quick can I do it because I don’t think I’m going to make it to next football season let alone next month.”
On top of that Kosar says he was also diagnosed in February with the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. Over the last two months he said he’s focused on his diet, avoiding the triggers that have landed him in the hospital in the past and his numbers have responded.
“I know there’s cycles that come with this so I’ve been on about a 18 month to 2 year horrible cycle of it so now people say how long is it going to last? Well I’ve enjoyed the last seven weeks of this cycle and every day I’ve been embracing it as long as I’m living within these protocols.”
As a player Kosar said he visualized success on the field, willing big plays to happen. Skills he says, he’s utilizing now.
“And I’m visualizing me being happy, I’m visualizing me living and I’m putting the work in to it and unfortunately it is work to stay alive now in this situation I’m in but I’m embracing doing that.”
News 5 will have more on this story at 11 p.m.
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