Former New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora revealed this week that he recently was hospitalized for nearly a month and in a coma for five days. The two-time Super Bowl Champion did not explain exactly what ailment he was dealing with, only saying he had gone through “some real adversity.”
“I went through some real adversity,” Umenyiora said. “I was in the hospital for almost a month. I was in a coma for five days, had some extensive surgery. I was in a really, really bad place. And I find out right then and there who actually loved me. Because there were some people who showed up every single day. There were some people who came to see me when I was in a coma. There were some people who traveled from all across the world to come see me when I was at my lowest points.”
Umenyiora has been working as an analyst in the United Kingdom for over a decade and currently co-hosts “The Breakdown” with former Giants teammate Jason Bell, who played six seasons in the NFL.
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Bell was singled out by Umenyiora as someone who was there for him during his recent health episode.
“This man right here was by my side,” Umenyiora said of Bell. “I remember when I got up and I saw him for the first time, I just started crying because I could feel the love. So don’t you ever mistake what we got going on up here for something that’s not real because this is real, and I love you, J Bell. I really, really appreciate everything you did. They told me that when I heard your voice, my heart rate started to spike, which was absolutely incredible.”
The 44-year-old Umenyiora, who was born in London, was a second-round pick in 2003 out of Troy. He played 11 NFL seasons with the Giants and Atlanta Falcons and was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
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