Mr Olympia legend Lee Haney needs a living kidney donor, bodybuilder reveals
Study finds dramatic rise in chronic kidney disease
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Legendary bodybuilder and eight-time Mr. Olympia champion Lee Haney made a desperate plea for help after his family revealed this week that he needed a living kidney donor.
Haney’s son took to social media this week to reveal that the International Sports Hall of Famer’s kidney is failing 26 years after he first learned he would “eventually” need it.
Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Lee Haney attends the Class of 2015 International Sports Hall of Fame at Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio on March 7, 2015. (Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
“This is the first time I’ve shared this – my dad needs a kidney donor. Please keep him in your prayers and share if you can,” Joshua Haney’s Instagram post read. “He is a blessing to so many and breathes life into everything he does. There is still work to be done.”
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Haney shared her own post to discredit a “terrible” rumor that apparently began circulating after her son’s post. He did not specify what the rumors were.
“Hello to all my family and fans, I’m alive and well. It’s terrible how quickly rumors can spread,” his message read. “Yes, I need a living kidney donor, as my two wonderful children have indicated. Many of you have sent me prayers and I deeply appreciate them. My approach is to be proactive in the face of this current challenge.”
Haney said he continues to rely on his faith and is “still healthy and fully functional.”
Lee Haney stands at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia on July 21, 2007 during Dr. Ian Smith’s “An Event to Change Your Life” event hosted by Steve Harvey. (Rick Diamond/WireImage/Getty Images)
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“My faith in the Lord has always been my superpower. Thank you all for your sincere concern. I am still healthy and fully functional,” his message continues. “I am not needed in heaven at this time.”
According to Haney’s children, Haney said his “faith, good diet and exercise” had “delayed” his need for a transplant for many years.
“My wife of 43 years and our 7 grandchildren will be forever grateful,” Haney said in the post shared by his son.
International bodybuilding champion Lee Haney hands out signed copies of his book at a bookstore on June 7, 1995. (African American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)
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Haney is widely considered one of the greatest professional builders of all time. He held the Mr. Olympia title for eight consecutive years, from 1984 to 1991, and was the youngest person to win it at age 24.
He had two perfect scores in 1986, marking a first for the sport, and was later chosen by former President Bill Clinton to chair the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports from 1999 to 2002.
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