UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman from hospital bed: 'I'm the happiest man in the world'
UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman says he is “the happiest man in the world.”
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman called himself “the happiest man in the world” as he embraced members of his family from a hospital bed.
Coleman was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday after saving his parents from a house fire in Ohio this week, according to daughter Morgan Coleman. On Thursday, an emotional video was posted to Mark Coleman's Instagram.
"I swear to God, I’m so lucky,” Coleman said in the video. “I can’t believe my parents are alive. I had to make a decision. I got out of my room and went to the door and it was already horrible. I couldn’t breathe. I almost had to go outside, but I went back and got them. I can’t believe it.”
Morgan Coleman had posted that her father went into the burning house several times and was able to bring out his mother and father. Coleman said at the time that her 59-year-old father was "battling for his life after this heroic act.”
He was unable to rescue a dog, Hammer, from the fire.
“I got them (his parents) but couldn't find Hammer,” Coleman said in the video.
A post on X from UFC writer Jonathan Snowden showed massive damage to the house.
Coleman, form Fremont, Ohio, was UFC’s first heavyweight champion in 1997 when he defeated Dan Severn. He won 16 of 26 fights over his 14-year career and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008.
Coleman was an amateur wrestler before his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career, winning an NCAA title at Ohio State in 1988 and competing at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Another of Coleman’s daughters, Kenzie, said on Instagram that Hammer woke her father up with his barking.
Morgan Coleman has organized a gofundme.com site for her father, raising more than $70,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.