Former NFL running back Chris Johnson revealed the hard truths about his life after being diagnosed with ALS last year at the age of 39.
“I want people to know that I'm still me,” Johnson, now 40, said Monday, June 29. Good Morning America. “ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn't changed who I am.”
The three-time Pro Bowler now uses his eyes to activate a speech-generating device.
“It continues to develop much faster than I thought,” he explained. “I want people to understand how quickly ALS can attack your body. Over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter to make her birthday cake wish. Today I couldn't do that.”
Chris and his wife, Brittanythey share four children, whom the former NFL star cited as motivation to keep fighting.
“My kids are also a big part of why I keep going,” she said. “Every day I wake up wanting more time with them, to remember many things and to be only their father. They give me a reason to keep fighting.”
Chris Johnson
Good Morning America/XChris, who retired from the NFL in 2017, said he first thought something was wrong when he “saw weakness in my right hand.”
“In the beginning there were small things, like my rib wasn't right and I didn't have the strength I always had,” he added.
Chris praised his wife for being a pillar of support, saying, “She never left me through all of this.”
JACKSONVILLE, FL – OCTOBER 18: Chris Johnson at EverBank Field on October 18, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida.
J. Meric/Getty Images“All I could think about was our children and how young they are,” Brittany continued Good Morning America. “He's in denial. He wants it to be anything else. He wants the doctors to be wrong. The life we had before is a thing of the past. But we still have hope. We hope that progress will happen, or a miracle will happen.”
He added, “It's hard. We have good days, we have bad days. Our life has changed a lot and it's a heavy burden. But I have no doubt that this is what I was called to do.”
Chris admitted that he can't “fully process” his diagnosis as he continues to search for possible treatments.
“At first, he was shocked,” Chris recalled. Then you realize that you have two choices: you can give up or you can fight. I chose to fight. “
He added, “If sharing my story helps even one person get a quick diagnosis, encourages more research or gives another family hope, it's worth it.”
Chris played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
