Jeff Bridges survived non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a serious case of COVID-19 in 2021
Jeff Bridges is giving an update on his cancer, after recovering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a serious case of COVID-19 in 2021.
When he first discovered a tumor while exercising, “it was a 12-by-9-in. tumor in my body. Like a child in my body. It didn’t hurt or anything,” he told PEOPLE last year.
Now, Bridges, 73, tells AARP in their latest cover story, the tumor has shrunk “to the size of a marble” after chemotherapy by infusion and oral chemo.
In January 2021, he came close to dying when he contracted COVID (the vaccine wasn’t yet available). The chemo treatment had weakened his immune system and the virus hit him hard.
“My wife Sue was my absolute champion,” he tells AARP. “She really fought to keep me off a ventilator. I didn’t want to be on it, and the doctors didn’t necessarily want that, but she was adamant.”
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Bridges spent almost five months in the hospital and was eventually treated with convalescent plasma (a therapy that uses blood from people who’ve recovered from an illness to help others recover.)
Now, he feels good most days and has started filming season 2 of The Old Man, according to AARP.
“I’m so blessed to have this cast,” he tells the magazine.”To get back to what invigorates you, it feels great, man.”
After his experience with cancer, Bridges feels grateful to be alive, and acting has an important purpose:
“I’m feeling that the times are demanding us to be as creative as possible,” he says. “We should all work together to make something beautiful, like we do in the movies.”
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