While visiting his childhood home, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer Mark Coleman was awakened by his beloved dog Hammer at 4am as the house was being consumed with fire.
Coleman managed to run through the burning house and save his elderly parents before succumbing to smoke inhalation. Rushed to the hospital, he “battled for his life” until he was able to breathe on his own again 3 days later.
“I had to make a decision,” Coleman said about the house fire from his hospital bed, “It was already horrible! I couldn’t breathe!” “I’m the happiest man in the world. I swear to God I’m so lucky! I can’t believe my parents are alive!” he said with tears in his eyes, after his daughters were allowed to see him for the first time.
Tragically, Hammer perished in the fire—the same fate that almost befell Coleman, who suffered the worst from the smoke when he ran back in to try and rescue his beloved Rottweiler.:(
The former champ’s adult daughters McKenzie and Morgan took unpaid leave to help Coleman recover, and they set up a GoFundMe to pay for his recovery and to help support his parents, who lost everything in the fire. At publishing time, $127,000 had been raised from friends, family, and fans alike.
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Photo: released by McKenzie Coleman