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Paralympian Hunter Woodhall Learns He Needs Emergency Surgery While at the Hospital for Dad’s Open Heart Surgery
@Source: people.com
When Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall went to visit his dad who just had open heart surgery, he didn’t realize he’d be heading into surgery himself.
Woodhall revealed on his Instagram Stories that he had to have the emergency procedure to remove his appendix during a visit to Utah to see his dad.
“Came to Utah to spend time with my dad after his open heart surgery,” the sprinter, 26, captioned a photo of himself on social media on Tuesday, March 4. “Yesterday I had horrible stomach pain, turns out I have to get [my] appendix removed. So, we will be recovering together.”
The same day, Woodhall posted a picture of himself on a hospital gurney. “Ready for a ‘lil emergency surgery,” he wrote on Instagram Stories. “Didn’t need an appendix anyway.”
Four hours later, Woodhall was in recovery. The surgery had been a success.
“Just made it out of surgery,” Woodhall told followers. “Feeling pretty good, so everything went well. Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers.”
As is his custom, Woodhall added a bit of humor to the update. He paused to eat a cracker before saying, “Well, I’m straight. I didn’t need that appendix s--- anyways.”
Woodhall has built a name for himself as a high-powered athlete, and as a source of support for the people he loves. When his wife, Tara Davis-Woodhall, won gold in the women’s long jump final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Team USA star ran up to him and got a big hug. “Babe, you’re the Olympic champion!” Hunter told his partner in a moment that quickly went viral.
Weeks later, Hunter won the gold medal in the men’s 400m T62 at the Paralympic Games on Sept. 6, 2024. When he ran to Tara in the stands, their embrace echoed their sweet hug at the Olympic Games.
The double-amputee runner — who was born with fibular hemimelia, a condition that prevents the lower limbs from developing properly — won bronze in the same event at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
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“He’s my biggest supporter, and I guess the whole world got to see how much he supports me,” Tara, 25, told reporters, including PEOPLE, of their viral hug following her Olympic win.
In February, the couple celebrated that the Para National Championships will be combined with the Outdoor Championships for the first time. Tara and Hunter are set to compete at the meet, which will take place at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene from July 31 to Aug. 2. The event will determine which athletes USA Track & Field takes to the world championships.
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