Jeff Bridges, an American actor, said that contracting COVID-19 while receiving treatment for cancer put him “very near to dying.”
In an interview with People, the 72-year-old actor spoke out about his health problems over the previous year and a half. The actor from The Big Lebowski was diagnosed with COVID in January 2021, before the immunizations were made available to the entire population. With an already impaired immune system and intense discomfort, the actor was hospitalized for five months and often required supplementary oxygen.
“I was on the brink of dying. ‘Jeff, you have to fight,’ the doctors kept urging me. You’re not battling.’ I was ready to give up. I was prepared to go. I was playing with my own mortality. I didn’t have any defenses. Chemo accomplishes just that: it depletes your immune system. I didn’t have anything to combat it with. COVID made my cancer seem insignificant.”
Convalescent plasma, a treatment that employs plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies to the virus, has been used successfully by the actor’s medical team. He stated that bridges gradually recovered strength and confidence.
Jeff Bridges confirmed that he had cancer In 2020.
Jeff Bridges initially disclosed his cancer diagnosis in October 2020, when he announced on Twitter that he had lymphoma, a malignancy of the lymphatic system.
“As the Dude would say, “New S**T has emerged.” Although it is a terrible condition, I am lucky to have a superb team of specialists and a favorable prognosis.”
Bridges declared that his cancer has been in remission since September 2021, claiming that his “9” x 12″ tumor shrank to the size of a marble in a blog post on his website.
“Covid really kicked my a**, but I’m now twice vaccinated and feeling much better.”
Jeff Bridges expressed excitement about returning to work on the upcoming drama The Old Man in his most recent interview.
“Who says, ‘I’d love some cancer and a dosage of COVID?’ But my capacity to accept and offer love was simply enhanced. Everything was ramped up to the highest level.”
As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light.
I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.
I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery.
— Jeff Bridges (@TheJeffBridges) October 20, 2020
The Old Man, an FX crime series based on Thomas Perry’s 2017 thriller book of the same name, stars Bridges as Dan Chase, a former CIA man who has spent decades living off the grid in hiding from his old agency. Chase is on the run from Harold Harper (John Lithgow), the FBI’s assistant director for counterintelligence with whom he has a complicated connection. The series, which also stars Noor Razooky, Pej Vahdat, Faran Tahir, Iman Nazemzadeh, and Amy Brenneman, will premiere on FX on June 16th.