- Jared Maynard’s cold led to his diagnosis of HLH, a rare and potentially fatal autoimmune disorder
- The 33-year-old powerlifter was put on life support after his liver and kidneys stopped working
- He had to learn to walk and talk again after being in the hospital for several months
The father and powerlifter shares how he almost lost his life when his “mild cold” turned into a rare and deadly disease.
In January 2023, Jared Maynard of Ontario, Canada caught a “slight cold,” as did his wife and three daughters, but while his family recovered within a week, Maynard’s condition worsened. He described it as “the beginning of a nightmare”.
“I had such bad insomnia that I was grateful to be able to drift off for at most an hour each night,” the 33-year-old recalled on Instagram. “The lymph nodes in my neck were so swollen that it felt like a mini mountain range under my skin. . Wildly swinging fever and chills. My heart was beating fast, and my blood pressure skyrocketed.”
After going to a small local hospital, Maynard was put on sleeping pills and diagnosed with mononucleosis—also often called the “kissing disease”—caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.
Maynard returned home, but his health continued to deteriorate. He decided to seek more help when he became “delirious” and his wife noticed his skin turning yellow. He returned to the hospital and learned, after further testing, that his cold virus had triggered a rare disease that caused his liver and kidneys to stop working.
Maynard was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and potentially fatal disorder in which the immune system abnormally overreacts and stops working properly, according to the Cleveland Clinic. White blood cells that fight infection end up damaging parts of the body, such as the liver, spleen and bone marrow. This can lead to organ damage and even death if left untreated.
There are two types of HLH, one that is triggered by genetics and one that is triggered by infection.
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Jared Maynard.
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After six days in the hospital, doctors put Maynard on life support, where he remained for five weeks.
“My fight has begun,” he said, adding that HLH had “ravaged my body” and doctors did not believe he would survive.
“When I woke up in the ICU, I knew I had a long, long way to go,” he told his followers. “But I still have some fight left. I also had a reason to fight. My wife and daughters needed me to come home.”
Maynard was put on a ventilator and dialysis, and remained in the hospital for three and a half months. During that time he lost more than 40 kg. and he had to relearn how to stand, walk, talk and eat.
“I was a shell of the man I was, at least physically,” he said. “HLH has ravaged my body. Weeks on life support and being too sick to eat left me 40 pounds lighter and struggling to hold the phone by myself. As a powerlifter, it felt like I had completely changed my body.”
But doctors said Maynard had made tremendous progress by March 2023 and attributed his recovery to his pre-illness fitness. He shared a video on social media of him taking his first steps in the hospital.
“I felt like Superman,” he recalled. “I was only walking about 20 feet. But a few weeks before, I could only walk about 4 feet before I lost gas. But 4 feet turned into 20. 20 feet turned into circles around the unit. Circles turned into climbing stairs.”
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Maynard recovered well and was able to leave the hospital in May 2023. A month later, he returned to weightlifting. Although he still has health problems, he promised to regain his strength.
“I walked into the hospital as a strong but sick 193 lb powerlifter. They took me out of the hospital as a small and sick man weighing 155 kg. I also left with the nickname ‘Miracle Man’ from some doctors and nurses who saw me at my worst in intensive care,” he explained. “I’m more grateful than ever to be alive and recovering.”
“My journey is not over. There are still hurdles ahead… but I’m ready to keep fighting,” he continued.
Now, one year later, Maynard competed in his first powerlifting competition since his HLH diagnosis on May 25. He hopes people are inspired by his journey of recovery.
“I am indescribably grateful to everyone who helped me along the way,” he said. “Every day I restore my body and strength. I managed to return to my family. I am with my people. I don’t know what you are going through right now. I bet it’s hard though. I bet there are days when you want to give up. You are not alone. Take the next smallest step you can today. And then tomorrow. You can do it.”
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Source: HIS Education