MMA's legendary Gracie family's old man reveals heartbreaking details of his struggle with Parkinson's

A widely-revered Gracie family member has opened up about his Parkinson's diagnosis in a candid interview. Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease that adversely affects the individual's neurological health and motor skills.

The chronic illness progressively deteriorates a person's CNS (Central Nervous System), diminishing their movement and overall health. In an interview posted to submission grappler Kyra Gracie's YouTube channel, BJJ and Vale tudo legend Rickson Gracie shed light on his battle against the disease.

As reported by MMA Fighting, in the aforementioned interview, the Brazillian combat sports icon recalled that he was diagnosed with the disease two years back. The 63-year-old revealed that the disease causes him to experience hand tremors and has affected his movement. Regardless, he's of the view that the diagnosis was not traumatic. The former MMA fighter stated:

“I’m ready for anything in my life... I accept not only my mistakes, but also my victories. I accept life and what I’ve done, so I’m happy today. But this neurologic condition opened my eyes to my age and to reality. It hasn’t changed much since then, but I have some hand tremors, a certain movement deficiency, things I didn’t have before.”

“[The symptoms] don’t bother me much, because my motivation to get up in the morning and work are still here.”

Additionally, he explained that he doesn't see the disease as a surprise but as a gift from God. The BJJ savant suggested that the disease is a challenge that God has given him, which he could transform for good.

He explained that he'd like to express his gratitude for jiu-jitsu and keep working for the art of jiu-jitsu, whilst empowering people by making jiu-jitsu more accessible for those who need it more. He added that he's simply living his life without worrying about the next day.

Watch the interview in the video below:

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When UFC commentator Joe Rogan lauded Rickson Gracie for his extraordinary dedication to martial arts

On episode #1906 of the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) podcast last year, UFC commentator Joe Rogan and ultra-endurance athlete David Goggins expressed their respect for the Gracies. Rogan emphasized that there's never been a family with so many talented martial artists within its fold. The MMA personality proceeded to particularly praise Rickson Gracie.

Rogan, a longtime martial arts practitioner and former Taekwondo fighter, harked back to a documentary titled 'Choke.' He indicated that the documentary chronicled Rickson Gracie's prime years as a fighter. Rogan and Goggins notably spoke about his strict training regime, extreme level of discipline, and dedication to martial arts. Rogan stated:

"One of the things he does in that documentary, he gets in a frozen glacial river and he just sits down and he's meditating in this river up to his neck of this f***g 30 degree water just washing over him and he's like, 'Thank you my lord!' And he's just taking it all in. It's beyond talent."

Watch Rogan and Goggins discuss the topic below: