Keith Lee Shares Details of His Recent Absence From WWE TV, Reveals Medical Issue He Faced

– Late last month, WWE Superstar Keith Lee revealed that he would finally tell the story of his recent absence from WWE programming. Earlier in February, Lee disappeared from WWE TV, and there wasn’t much word on his status until he returned to TV last month. Lee has now shared a video on his YouTube channel sharing details on the medical issue he was facing after his hiatus began in February. Below are some highlights and the video where Keith Lee explains his medical issue that kept him away from WWE:

Keith Lee on initially contracting COVID-19 in January: “Alright, so obviously, I’ve been a busy bee, but I said that for those who took the time to care for me, that I was going to make this, you know, just information for you guys, something to share because I’ve always kind of been that way. Open for the most part. So, the first time I tried to record this it turned out to be like 13 minutes, so we’re going to try and reduce some of that this time. So, let’s talk about the time since January. Yeah, alright, let’s get this knocked out. So, as some of you know, toward the end of January I missed about three weeks on TV. At that time I had contracted COVID-19. And actually before I continue, let me go ahead and point out something because I’ve been seeing some disturbing and just rude remarks towards Mia Yim. Some stating that it was her fault that I was gone, and some stating that she gave me COVID, and what have you. Let me go ahead and clear that up right now. That needs to be clear. Were it not for her, I don’t know how things would’ve gone to be quite honest. I contracted COVID, she did not, actually for like three weeks, and the only reason that she did contract it was because she refused to not be there and take care of me. And unfortunately, that ended up costing her an opportunity in the Royal Rumble, but that was a chance she was willing to take. So you know, at the end of the day, I’m grateful to her, and it’s unfortunate that some of you are ungrateful because the reality is, there’s no telling how things would’ve gone without her assistance.”

On returning to the ring again in February after his initial diagnosis and having finding out there was a heart inflammation: “After that, I came back for one match against Mr. Riddle, and I believe that was February 8th. And then the next day, I got a call saying that there was something off in my blood. Some people may have experienced this thing where there’s like an inflammation in the heart or lungs. For me, it was the heart, and you know, that led to very scary times. I was basically forbidden from training or any activity outside of a light walk. So there was a fear that doing more than that, that there was a chance that I could just up and pass away.”

On dealing with his heart inflammation: “So, for three or four months, this was kind of the case, and I had several MRIs on my heart. By the way, I don’t fit in those machines. It was terrible, and my shoulders really struggled with that, but we had to do what we had to do, right? So this became a fight against death, so to speak, and it took up until the company sent me to Pittsburgh to get looked at, and it was to the point where I was about to have to undergo genetic testing and all sorts of things because it was thought that there was a potential I could have a heart disease of sorts. Very fortunately, even though it took a long time, we waited that amount of time for that allowed the inflammation in my heart to eventually go down to normal. So, even though the first MRI was bad, and the second one was worse, over time, things got better here and there. Eventually after that visit, I was cleared to try and get back into some sort of shape, and that’s where the real struggle is.”

Keith Lee on training to get back to the ring and his return to TV at Raw in Dallas: “Yeah, it took some time, and to be honest, it wasn’t even certain that I was going to show up in Dallas in terms of on TV. So you know, for the people that cared, I greatly appreciate you, and you guys mean a lot more than you know. Some of you even more than that. Mr. Casey, you’re one of them for certain. At the end of the day, I don’t really know what’s next, right? The idea for me is I fought the battle that mattered the most, and I’m healthy. At the end of the day, that’s all I can really ask for. That’s all my family can ask for, and now we fight to make the most of what we can do in this industry, and we just move forward. Isn’t that what I always say? Forward march, the grind continues. It’s forever. We fought death, I don’t mind fighting anybody else. So, we move forward, and I guess we continue to show exactly what it means to be limitless. Yeah. Until then, stay up, people.”

Earlier today, Keith Lee noted when he posted the video on his Twitter account, “The first recording of this went over 13 minutes…..so I said and detailed far less, but I said enough.” His fiancée, Mia Yim, tweeted, “For he is limitless.”

The first recording of this went over 13 minutes…..so I said and detailed far less, but I said enough.https://t.co/AtvGzJF7FX

— Excellent Lee (@RealKeithLee) August 12, 2021

For he is limitless 💙 https://t.co/bakqgSV4ut

— Michin 미친 (@MiaYim) August 12, 2021

If using the above quotes, please credit Keith Lee, with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.