William 'The Refrigerator' Perry in serious condition in South Carolina hospital
William “The Refrigerator” Perry — the former defensive lineman who captured the hearts of Chicago Bears fans in 1985 when he rumbled for a one-yard touchdown in his Monday Night Football debut — is in serious condition in a South Carolina hospital after suffering from symptoms of a chronic illness.
A relative said he is expected to recover.
(Sun-Times file)
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William 'The Refrigerator' Perry
The 46-year-old Perry, who resides in his native Aiken, S.C., was diagnosed last June with Guillain-Barré syndrome and hospitalized for five months. He used a wheelchair during his rehabilitation.
Purnell Perry told the Sun-Times in a phone interview that his uncle entered the hospital more than a week ago because of complications related to the illness, and is expected to make a full recovery.
“They were making sure he was in pretty good health before they started treating him,” said Purnell Perry.
A spokeswoman for Aiken Regional Medical Center said Perry is in serious condition, but declined to elaborate.
According to MayoClinic.com, Guillain-Barré syndrome is an “uncommon inflammatory disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks your nerves, typically causing severe weakness and numbness that usually starts in your extremities and quickly worsens.”
There is no cure for Guillain-Barré syndrome, but treatments are available that can ease the symptoms and duration.
Perry played ten seasons in the NFL — eight of them with the Bears and two with the Philadelphia Eagles. He earned the nickname “The Refrigerator” for his intimidating 6-foot-2, 350-pound frame. He won a Super Bowl ring his rookie year with the 1985 Bears, scoring a touchdown in the game.