UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman was airlifted to a hospital and was “battling for his life” after saving his parents from a house fire in Ohio this week, his daughter said on Instagram. Morgan Coleman posted that her father went into the burning house several times and was able to bring out his mother and father.
Quick Read
- UFC Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Mark Coleman was critically injured and is fighting for his life in the hospital after heroically rescuing his parents from a house fire in Ohio.
- Morgan Coleman, Mark’s daughter, shared on Instagram that her father bravely entered the burning house multiple times to save his parents, showcasing his heroic nature.
- The 59-year-old former fighter is currently in the hospital, facing life-threatening challenges as a result of his actions during the fire.
- Mark Coleman’s mother expressed gratitude for their survival on Facebook and requested prayers for her son, highlighting the severity of his condition.
- Social media posts revealed significant damage to the Coleman family home, emphasizing the intensity of the fire Mark confronted.
- Coleman, originally from Fremont, Ohio, made history as the UFC’s inaugural heavyweight champion in 1997 and was honored with a Hall of Fame induction in 2008 after a distinguished 14-year career in MMA.
- Beyond his professional achievements, Coleman was an accomplished amateur wrestler, claiming an NCAA title and representing the U.S. in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
- In a tragic turn, despite Mark Coleman’s efforts to save his family and pets, his dog Hammer did not survive the fire.
- The community is rallying around the Coleman family, with a GoFundMe campaign initiated by Morgan Coleman to support her father’s medical and recovery needs, already raising a significant portion of its $50,000 target.
The Associated Press has the story:
Ex-UFC champion Mark Coleman in hospital after saving his parents from a house fire in Ohio
Newslooks- TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) —
UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman was airlifted to a hospital and was “battling for his life” after saving his parents from a house fire in Ohio this week, his daughter said on Instagram.
Morgan Coleman posted that her father went into the burning house several times and was able to bring out his mother and father.
Coleman said her 59-year-old father was at the hospital “battling for his life after this heroic act.”
“Our father has always been our hero and means the world to us,” Morgan Coleman wrote. “He is and always will be a fighter. The strongest and bravest man I know.”
Coleman’s mother, Connie, posted on Facebook, saying “Thank God we are alive” and asking for “prayers for Mark.”
A post on X from UFC writer Jonathan Snowden showed massive damage to the house.
Coleman, form Fremont, Ohio, was UFC’s first heavyweight champion in 1997 when he defeated Dan Severn. He won 16 of 26 fights over his 14-year career and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008.
Coleman was an amateur wrestler before his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career, winning an NCAA title at Ohio State in 1988 and competing in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Morgan Coleman said in her post that Mark went back in after bringing out his parents to rescue a dog, Hammer, from the fire. She said Hammer did not survive despite her father’s efforts.
Another of Coleman’s daughters, Kenzie, said on Instagram that Hammer woke her father up with his barking.
Morgan Coleman has organized a gofundme.com site for her father with a photo of him in a hospital bed connected to monitors and other medical necessities. As of Wednesday afternoon, the site had raised several thousands dollars of its stated goal of $50,000.
