Former UFC star Mark Coleman is “fighting for his life” after saving his parents from a house fire in Ohio on Tuesday, his daughter, Morgan, revealed on Instagram. According to her, the former fighter managed to transport his parents out of the burning house before trying to rescue the family dog, Hammer.
Morgan further stated that, following the rescue, Coleman was taken by helicopter to a hospital where he is “currently fighting for his life after this heroic act.” His daughter also mourned the loss of her dog Hammer, who did not survive the fire.
Incident moves the sporting world
“Our father has always been our hero and means the world to us. He is and always will be a fighter,” wrote Coleman’s daughter. During the episode, Kenzie, another daughter of the former fighter, said that Hammer woke up her father by barking and, therefore, may have saved his life.
Jonathan Snowden, a journalist specializing in MMA and close to Coleman, posted a photo of the former fighter attached to a ventilator in a hospital. “If anyone can conquer their own death, it’s Mark,” he wrote.
Tributes and prayers
Wes Sims, a longtime friend and former UFC fighter, asked for prayers for Coleman on Facebook and said he is currently intubated and sedated at a hospital in Toledo, Ohio.
Coleman’s mother, Connie, posted a thank you for his life on Facebook and asked for “prayers for Mark”. The fighter is seen as one of the most influential in UFC history, becoming the tournament’s first heavyweight champion.
Before entering MMA, Coleman had already made a name for himself as an amateur fighter, winning an NCAA championship at Ohio State in 1988 and competing in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.