HGTV star Ty Pennington says he’s recovering well two years after experiencing a health scare that led him to the ICU for emergency surgery. The “Trading Spaces” alum suffered a throat abscess that caused his airway to close.
“That was so crazy. It’s one of those freak things that could happen to anybody, but it’s crazy how risky it was,” he told OK! in an exclusive interview on September 30. “It definitely shed light on how important it is to stay healthy for others. I am definitely on top of that, and I am taking care of myself.”
The ‘freak’ health scare made Ty realize just how important friends and family are
According to OK!, Ty had no idea what was happening in the moment, and while it was a terrifying scare to live through, the sixty-year-old took the experience and turned it into something positive: he realized just how much his friends and family rallied around him when he was in need and how important it is to be not just part of a village but to be a villager as well.
“I got so much attention!” he shared. “You really find out how much people love. I was like, ‘This is great, people care!’ I am much better, and I’m around to take care of everybody else. Who would have guessed the hyperactive kid would be the one looking after everybody else? That’s the beauty of life — there are curveballs!”
Ty is not slowing down anytime soon
Although Ty has been a home improvement media darling for decades, he has no plans to slow down; the experience left him feeling even more passionate about his work and his commitment to helping homeowners feel good about and love their space.
“I certainly don’t act feel it or act like it!” he said when asked about his age and legacy on home improvement television. “The thing about TV is that you can’t force anything — what’s meant to come will come to you. I love what I am doing now. I’m the old guy that has been doing it forever. I still get to keep my sense of humor, and I love working with people and being able to lend a hand up to the next generation.”
Although Ty couldn’t predict his health scare he took the opportunity to look at his life and legacy in a whole different lens, proving that he’s just as genuine and fun-loving in his personal life as he is portrayed on television.
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