Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Shane del Rosario is fighting for his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest in his home in Newport on Tuesday, November 26.
The fighter's roommate and teammate, Ian McCall, found del Rosario unconscious on the floor of his home and immediately called 911 and performed CPR. Del Rosario was admitted to the Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California, in critical condition and doctors put him on life support.
"After arriving at the emergency room in full cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning he was resuscitated to stable rhythm and blood pressure, but has not regained consciousness. Doctors believe he may suffer from a rare condition called Long QT Syndrome which is a genetic anomaly that can cause a sudden and life threatening heart rhythm abnormality, and may result in sudden death. Tragically, it strikes healthy young people and often is the first and only presentation of a heart problem," said Jason House, del Rosario's manager.
On Wednesday, November 27, Colin Oyama, del Rosario's long-time trainer visited the hospital and said that the fighter has no brain activity. Del Rosario was given Arctic Sun, which is a medical treatment used to cool down the body temperature of a patient in order to revitalize the organs as well as the brain. He did not fully respond to the treatment and doctors suggested that if the same continues, then del Rosario's family will not opt to pursue any further treatment.
However, a recent report now indicates that del Rosario has been taken off the life support and is able to breathe independently.
The 30-year old fighter was born and raised in Orange County, California and started training as a fighter from the age of 17. Del Rosario graduated from the University of California, Irvine, but pursued fighting over an advanced degree and joined UFC in 2012.
