The Tragic Downfall Of William Perry

April 2024 · 2 minute read

William Perry also dealt with a number of medical conditions following his dental procedure, including an advanced case of Guillain-Barre Syndrome — an autoimmune disease that could start with muscle weakness and eventually progress to paralysis or even death. While he recovered after spending five months in the hospital in 2008, he suffered a relapse a year later, resulting in pneumonia, hearing difficulties, and severe weight loss — at that time, he reportedly weighed only 190 pounds. 

By 2016, Sports Illustrated's Rick Telander published another lengthy update on the Fridge, revealing that he was living alone in a retirement facility in his hometown of Aiken, South Carolina, weighing about 430 to 450 pounds and barely able to walk. He was also dealing with diabetes and still suffering from hearing problems, and another younger brother, fellow NFL alumnus Michael Dean Perry, suggested that William might have "traces of CTE." His drinking was likewise a concern as he consistently disregarded the advice of family and friends and kept hitting the bottle.

Telander's report also focused on Perry's dwindling finances, given how he did not receive a dime when his Super Bowl ring was auctioned off in 2015. That year, he supposedly earned a net income of just $13,921 from social security checks and his NFL pension. Further, his family affairs were reportedly a mess, with his children and two ex-wives "too busy fighting amongst themselves to actually accomplish any change."

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB%2FlW5obmtfqbWmedOrmKChk2KxsMPNn5ilpF2ks27DyKWjopmdYr2mvtGyZg%3D%3D