Ashton Kutcher recounts vision, hearing loss due to rare vasculitis: ‘Lucky to be alive’
Image: Facebook/Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher is “lucky to be alive” as he opened up for the first time about the rare vasculitis he had three years ago, which caused him balance, vision and hearing impairment.
Vasculitis is an autoimmune disease defined as a “general term for several conditions that cause inflammation in blood vessels,” making them “weak, stretched, bigger or narrower,” as per WebMD.
The American actor recounted his ordeal with the disease during an episode of National Geographic’s “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge.” A sneak peek at the said episode was exclusively released by Access on its YouTube channel on Monday, Aug. 8.
“I had this weird, super rare form of vasculitis that knocked out my vision, it knocked out my hearing, it knocked out like all my equilibrium,” he said. “It took me like a year to build it all back up.”
Kutcher also reflected on how strength and abilities are oftentimes taken for granted, while sharing his realizations from his bout with the disease.
“You don’t really appreciate it, until it’s gone, until you go, ‘I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to see again, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to hear again, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to walk again,’” he stated. “Lucky to be alive.”
“The minute you start seeing your obstacles as things that are made for you, to give you what you need, then life starts to get fun, right? You start surfing on top of your problems instead of living underneath them,” he added.
Kutcher then clarified that he already recovered from the disease and is currently “all good,” as per his Twitter page yesterday, Aug. 9.
“Before there are a bunch of rumors/chatter/whatever out there. Yes, I had a rare vasculitis episode [three years] ago. (Autoimmune [flare-up]) I had some impairments — [hearing], vision, balance issues right after,” he said. “I fully recovered. All good.”
Before there are a bunch of rumors/ chatter/ whatever out there. Yes, I had a rare vasculitis episode 3yrs ago. (Autoimmune flair up) I had some impairments hear, vision, balance issues right after. I fully recovered. All good. Moving on. See you at the 2022 NY Marathon w/Thorn
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) August 9, 2022
Meanwhile, Kutcher and his wife, American actress Mila Kunis, raised funds amounting to over $30 million (about P1.57 billion) last March to help Ukrainian refugees amid the Russian invasion. /ra
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