Overcoming Encephalopathy: Inspirational Stories of Celebrities Who Powered Through

Over the years, there’s been a rise in cases of celebrities and players diagnosed with encephalopathy or related symptoms. Encephalopathy, commonly known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy affects the brain and its functioning.

Encephalopathy is frequently caused by head injuries, strokes, or tumors, among other causes, leading to seizures, memory loss, personality changes, plus other related brain functions.

The condition is known to lead to severe brain damage, including encephalitis or death. However, there are cases of celebrities who, despite being diagnosed with the disease, have soldiered on. Below are a few of these inspirational cases.

Michael Adamle, known as Mike Adamle, is a veteran sports news broadcaster and an ex-American football player. His career in American football began at Northwestern University, where he was a fullback and captain of the team. After retiring from active sports, he became a sports broadcaster at NBC Sports. Mike has worked for many Chicago televisions like WLS-TV, WMAQ-TV (where he hosted American Gladiators), WBBM-TV, and Channel 5. He also worked for WWE as a Raw General Manager, play commentator, and interviewer. However, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 2017, forcing him to retire. The condition is likely the result of his years as a football player.

Another victim of encephalopathy is Michael Crawford, the British actor, singer, and comedian. Michael is famous for his roles on stage, television, film, and radio in the US and UK. During his career, he scooped up numerous accolades, including being appointed as an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire). These were due to his charitable contributions to the nation. In 2005, he had what felt like a never-ending flu. After several tests, including brain function scans, Michael was diagnosed with myalgic encephalopathy. It took him six years to get the disease under control and return to the stage in more minor roles.

Jackie Chan is a famous Chinese actor known for his swift-crafted karate stunts. However, these came at a cost, including many bone fractures while on set. However, one of the worst injuries was during the shooting of the First Strike movie. He narrates that he sustained severe injuries during a scene, including a concussion. This caused serious brain function problems and possible encephalitis. However, the actor fully recovered from these injuries.

The music scene, too, has its share of concussion cases, and one of the world’s favorites, Justin Bieber, is on this list. The incident happened in 2012 while performing a concert in Paris. Justin describes walking into a pane of solid glass while heading off stage. He still completed the show but fell unconscious and passed out after the performance. The hospital confirmed that Bieber had suffered a mild concussion. Luckily, he managed to heal, finish his tour, and continue his performances.

There are many cases of brain-related conditions like encephalitis and encephalopathy. If fatal, the condition may result in death or serious mental illness. However, it is treatable if diagnosed early. The above cases of celebrities with encephalopathy are living proof that people can power through this disease.

McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.