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It was his aim – and he made it.
Actor Jeff Bridges walked his daughter down the aisle recently despite suffering a double-health whammy: a cancer battle and a bad case of Covid.
His goal was always to give youngest daughter Hayley (35) away, Jeff (71) says on his website (jeffbridges.com).
“She was getting married to a wonderful guy, Justin Shane. Thanks to Zach [Wermers, Jeff’s physical therapist] and my terrific medical team, I was able to not only walk Hay down the aisle, but do the father/bride dance with her without oxygen.”
The Oscar winner was diagnosed with lymphoma last year and then caught Covid in January. He says he became infected with the virus at his chemotherapy centre before he was able to get vaccinated and ended up spending five weeks in hospital.
His wife, Sue (68), with whom he also shares daughters Isabelle (40) and Jessica (38), also contracted it.
“Sue spends five days in the hospital. Me . . ? I’m there five weeks. The reason I’m there so long is because my immune system is shot from the chemo. My dance with Covid makes my cancer look like a piece of cake,” Jeff writes.
The Bad Times at the El Royale star says he was near death, but that it’s given him a renewed vigour for life.
“While I had moments of tremendous pain (screaming-singing, a sort of moaning song all through the night) getting close to the pearly gates, all in all, I felt happy and joyous most of the time.
In the months afterwards he required oxygen assistance to walk, but was determined to attend his daughter’s wedding without it.
In a sweet video posted on his website, the pair can be seen dancing to Ray Charles’ Ain’t That Love.
READ MORE | A nearly unrecognisable Jeff Bridges delighted to announce his cancer treatment is working
On Monday he gave fans an update on his cancer on his website. “I’m now in remission,” he says. “My tumour has shrunk to the size of a marble.
“My Covid is in the rear-end mirror,” he adds. “It kicked my ass pretty good but I’m double vaccinated and feeling much better.”
Jeff also posted a Darth Vader meme and joked that the oxygen assistance he’d required until recently made him think of the Star Wars villain’s famous heavy breathing.
Sources: people.com, jeffbridges.com
