UFC legend Mark Coleman is “battling for his life” after rescuing his parents from a fire that broke out at his childhood home Tuesday in Ohio.
According to NBC News, Coleman’s manager said the retired fighter was in an induced coma in intensive care. Coleman’s manager, Michael DiSabato, told the outlet that the family believes he’ll pull through. But one of Coleman’s daughters, Morgan, took to Instagram to share that her father is “battling for his life” after he had to be airlifted to the hospital.
Morgan shared in her lengthy caption that her father “managed to get both of his parents out of the house,” but that despite his best efforts, the family dog, Hammer, did not survive.
“Our father has always been our hero and means the world to us,” the caption read in part. “He is and always will be a fighter. The strongest and bravest man I know. Please continue to pray for him and our family during this extremely difficult time. We will miss our sweet hammer so deeply.”
Coleman’s second daughter, McKenzie, took to her Instagram Story to mourn the loss of the family dog while also praising the pooch for saving her father’s life.
“My dog already got taken from me please don’t take my daddy,” McKenzie captioned the Story. “& rip to my puppy who was my world. He saved my dads life by barking until he woke up.”
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When the fire broke out at around 4 a.m., Coleman got his parents out safely, but then went back in to save the family dog, who later died. Coleman’s manager told NBC News that the roof collapsed when firefighters arrived to the scene. It’s unclear if Coleman collapsed in the house or outside, but he had to be airlifted due to smoke inhalation.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical costs.Â
“Mark was life flighted to a hospital where he is needing lots of prayer to get his lungs clear,” read the GoFundMe description. “His adult daughters, McKenzie and Morgan, have not and will not leave their Dads side as he battles for his life.”
Coleman was the first-ever UFC Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008 in his home state of Ohio. Prior to helping grow the sport into the behemoth it currently is, Coleman was a standout wrestler at Ohio State, where he was an NCAA National Champion. He also competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona in freestyle wrestling.
Coleman officially retired from the sport in 2013.
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