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Brett Favre shared a social media post to assure fans that he has "not given up hope in my battle with Parkinson's disease"
This comes after he shared on the Jan. 1 episode of his 4th and Favre podcast that he's not holding his breath for a cure for the disease
His comments prompted several social media posts and articles online that suggested the former NFL athlete had "given up"
Brett Favreis addressing concerns about his health.
The retired NFL star, 56, shared a social media post to assure fans that he wasn't surrendering toParkinson's Diseaseafter comments made on the Jan. 1 episode of his4th and Favrepodcastled some people to believe that he was doing just that.
"Thank you everyone for your prayers and concerns, but contrary to reports, I have not given up hope in my battle with Parkinson's!," Favre said in apost on Xon Wednesday, Jan. 7.
"Not sure where this came from — but just like I never gave up on the gridiron —not going to start now," he added. "I pray there will be a cure one day and I appreciate you all."
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He reiterated his comments toTMZin an interview on Jan. 7, saying, "I have absolutely not given up and I am fighting till the end. Yes I have progressed a little faster than I would have hoped at this point but I'm extremely thankful and blessed!!!"
This comes nearly a week after the former Green Bay Packers quarterback released the latest episode of his4th and Favrepodcast, in which he discussed how the disease has progressed since his diagnosis.
According to theMayo Clinic, Parkinson's is a brain disease that impacts a person's nervous system, causing uncontrollable physical movements such as shaking, as well as making it difficult to speak.
Favre revealed that he has "very little shaking," but that his shakes mostly happen when he feels "fatigued, mainly towards the end of the day." He also noted that he mainly suffers from "rigidity and stiffness" and said that his cognitive memory is "okay" as of now.
"As you well know, there's no cure," Favre went on to share. "I hear from time to time, 'Well, they're five years away from a cure.' You know, I hope that that's the case. I really do. But I'm not holding my breath," the star said on the podcast.
The former athlete then went on to mention other stars who were diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and "set the bar high" on treatments, includingMichael J. FoxandMuhammad Ali, adding, "I'm sure that when they were diagnosed, they thought, 'Well, they'll have a cure in five years. I'll be fine,'" Favre said. "Well, that's not the case. So, I'm optimistic, but again, I'm not holding my breath."
Following his comments, social media posts andarticlescropped up online suggesting that Favre had "given up." Social media personality Dov Kleiman shared in apost on Xthat garnered over 2.4 million views: "Heartbreaking: The legendary Brett Favre says he has GIVEN UP HOPE as he battles Parkinson's disease."
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Favre previouslydisclosed his diagnosisin September 2024 while being questioned by Congress abouta lawsuit against him, which claimed that he and dozens of others took money meant to go to welfare programs and instead pocketed it for personal use.
"Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I'm sure you'll understand why it's too late for me because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's," the former football star reportedly said before lawmakers at the time, according toNBC News,ESPNandFox News.
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