Whether you love him or hate him, Stephen A. Smith is a force to be reckoned with in the sports media industry. The fiery analyst is known for his unapologetic and no-holds-barred remarks. There’s never a dull moment when he is on television. The ESPN analyst’s enthusiasm for basketball is evident in his razor-sharp insights and tell-it-like-it-is approach. However, a near-death experience had almost tainted his spark.

Back in 2021, Stephen A. Smith tested positive for COVID-19. While some people had only mild symptoms from the virus, Smith, on the other hand, had to be hospitalized. In his case, the virus led to liver damage and double pneumonia. While battling with COVID-19, the veteran analyst revealed he was haunted by vivid dreams and hallucinations, each as unpredictable as any sports match he had ever analyzed.

Stephen A. Smith had bizarre hallucinations

During a recent appearance on “The Ultimate Human” podcast with Gary Brecka, Smith delved into the other side of his life that is often hidden from the world. He opened up about his struggles while grappling with COVID-19. However, Smith’s battle took an unexpected turn. Stephen A. Smith, being a television host, needs to do a lot of talking as a part of his job, which can lead to acid reflux. The antibiotics for the acid reflux, however, did more damage than good. It led to pneumonia in both of his lungs. Ultimately, the loss of bodily fluids, a common symptom in patients suffering from pneumonia, triggered a series of bizarre hallucinations.

Smith said, “I was hallucinating so much, man. One day, I thought I was a rap artist, another rapping about Kyrie. Another minute, I thought I was a basketball player, you know, going up against LeBron. Another day, I thought I was a singer. I didn’t know what the hell was going on.” However, this experience made Stephen A. Smith realize the need to prioritize his health. And this is how his fitness journey began.

Stephen A. Smith’s commitment to excellence

The 56-year-old analyst is now in better shape than he has been in years. In September, he was diagnosed as being pre-diabetic. From there on, he decided that he needed to change his routine. He now spends six days a week at the gym and is carefully monitoring his dietary choices. As a result of these changes, he has shed 30 pounds in the past six months, and his cholesterol levels have decreased by 100 points. Additionally, his insulin levels have plummeted from 27 to 2.

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He said, “Now, I’m lifting five times a week. I’m calling my trainer to work out, ‘I’m available. Let’s go.’ I’m getting on video, I’m doing Pilates, I’m running, I’m doing all of these things.”

He also added, “What I now do in two months, I used to do in a day. I used to eat four or five bowls of cereal a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner. I now buy a box of Honeycombs or Froot Loops or something like that, and literally, I have to throw it cuz I didn’t even open the box cuz I forgot it’s there because I’m just not doing those things anymore. Because I love the way that I’m feeling, and I don’t want to compromise.” 

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