Ty Pennington reflects on his life following surgery for throat abscess after he 'could barely breath'
DENVER, COLORADO: Ty Pennington recently gave fans a reassuring update on his health, nearly a year after he was hospitalized after developing an abscess that required surgery.
The HGTV star revealed he is feeling "great" and has expressed gratitude for the support he has been receiving since the health ordeal, as reported by ET.
Ty Pennington says 'you get so much attention' if you 'almost die'
Speaking about his life after the surgery, the 59-year-old television host said, "You know what's great is if you almost die, you get so much attention. It feels so nice to be that loved."
"I'm planning another one... No, I'm kidding!" he joked.
Two days after the 'Barbie' red carpet premiere in July 2023, Pennington took to Instagram to post photos of himself in a hospital bed, revealing to his fans that he was hospitalized in the ICU after he woke up at 4 am and "could barely breathe."
“Turns out, that sore throat I've had for the last month was actually an abscess that had grown so large it was closing off my airway," the former 'Trading Spaces' contractor continued.
"Next thing I know, I was intubated and flown to the ICU in Denver," he wrote at the time.
What is an abscess?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, an abscess is a buildup of pus caused by the infection of a body part and the immune system tries to fight it which leads to inflammation in the body and can pose serious health risks if not promptly addressed.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Pennington shared that the whole experience had given him a newfound appreciation for life and the importance of living each day to the fullest.
"It made me realize you just don't know when your timecard's gonna get pulled, so wake up, live every single day to the fullest," he explained.
Ty Pennington wants to make sure 'we've done things to be remembered'
Pennington also shared his change of perspective about his new projects. He teased his involvement in the upcoming fifth season of his HGTV reality competition series, 'Rock the Block.'
"I mean that's why the 60’s is gonna be like time to start doing everything and that's what I love about being part of these projects because I think we all want to make sure we've done things to be remembered," the former model shared.
"I think this season could be the greatest season ever because there's so much at stake because this is about pride and saying, 'I am a winner,'" he added.
"And when you've got four teams that are trying to prove themselves, there is nothing they're gonna hold back, and that's the kind of design, that's the kind of passion I love to see," he continued.
