Mantan Pemain NFL Chris Johnson Umumkan Diagnosis Penyakit ALS

Mantan pemain bintang NFL, Chris Johnson, mengumumkan pada Senin pagi bahwa dirinya telah didiagnosis menderita penyakit neurodegeneratif progresif Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis atau ALS.

Mantan pelari andalan Tennessee Titans berusia 40 tahun tersebut menyampaikan kondisinya secara terbuka dalam wawancara bersama Michael Strahan di program Good Morning America di saluran televisi ABC.

"I want people to know I am still me," kata Chris Johnson, mantan pemain Tennessee Titans. "ALS has changed what my body can do, but it hasn't changed who I am."

Penyakit ALS yang dialami Johnson terdeteksi sejak tahun lalu dan telah menyebar dengan cepat, membuat dirinya kini harus menggunakan alat komunikasi khusus yang dipicu oleh gerakan mata.

"If sharing my story helps even one person get diagnosed sooner, inspires more research, or gives another family hope," tutur Chris Johnson. "it is worth it."

Kondisi Johnson pertama kali disadari ketika tangan kanannya melemah dan kesulitan menggenggam barang, padahal ia masih aktif berolahraga rutin setahun lalu.

"We hoped it was something else," ungkap Chris Johnson. "But after thorough testing, they finally came down with a diagnosis of ALS. They told us about a medication that might extend life by a few months, then they told us to get our affairs in order. It was hard hearing that."

Dalam upaya memperpanjang hidupnya dan memajukan penelitian medis, Johnson menghubungi Dr. Merit Cudkowicz untuk menjalani berbagai perawatan eksperimental.

"Honestly, I don't know if you ever fully process it," ucap Chris Johnson. "At first, you are in shock, and then you realize you have two choices: You can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight."

Penyakit yang juga dikenal sebagai Penyakit Lou Gehrig ini menyerang sel saraf di otak serta sumsum tulang belakang, yang dapat menyebabkan kelumpuhan total pada stadium lanjut.

"(ALS) has continued to progress much faster than I imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body. … I still think the same, I still dream, I still love my family. My body just doesn't cooperate." jelas Chris Johnson.

Pria yang memiliki empat anak ini menegaskan bahwa pikiran bagian dalamnya tetap tajam meskipun fisiknya tidak lagi bisa bekerja sama.

"Your mind stays sharp. People sometimes look at a person with a physical disability and assume you’re not still the same person inside," sebut Chris Johnson. "I still think the same.

I still dream. I still love my family. My body just doesn’t cooperate."

Istri Johnson, Brittany, kini bertindak sebagai pengasuh utamanya dan selalu mendampingi di setiap proses pengobatan.

"She hasn’t left my side through any of this. My kids are also a huge part of why I keep going," aku Chris Johnson. "Every day I wake up wanting more time with them to make more memories and just be their dad. They give me a reason to keep fighting."

Johnson menceritakan kilas balik masa mudanya saat pertama kali bergabung dengan tim Tennessee pada usia 21 tahun dan bertumbuh di sana.

"I was 21 years old when I first got there," kenang Chris Johnson dalam wawancara tahun 2024. "I grew up there, in Tennessee, learned a lot, learned how to be on my own. I went from not having money, to having money and learning what I wanted to do with it.

There was some maturing going on. It was a whole lot of growing up."

Selama enam dari sepuluh musim kariernya di NFL, Johnson sangat mencintai atmosfer kota Nashville dan sambutan hangat para suporter.

"I love Tennessee," papar Chris Johnson. "I come back all the time. The city embraced me, the fans loved me.

Everyone around the city – and the whole state, for that matter – embraced me. Nashville, and Tennessee, will always be my second home. It will aways be a place I come to."

Johnson tercatat mengumpulkan 9.651 yard lari dan mencetak rekor mutlak NFL pada tahun 2009 dengan total 2.509 yard dari garis scrimmage.

"I love the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee. No matter where I am, I always seem to run into somebody from Tennessee and they are so nice to me." kata Chris Johnson.

Ia juga mengingat kembali masa-masa indahnya saat bermain sepak bola Amerika bersama rekan tim dan pelatih hebat.

"And I loved playing football. I had some great teammates, great coaches. I have so many great memories." pungkas Chris Johnson.

Kabar mengenai kondisi kesehatan ini memicu respons mendalam dari pemilik kendali tim Tennessee Titans, Amy Adams Strunk.

"Some people leave a mark on an organization that you just can't put into words," tegas Amy Adams Strunk, pemilik Titans. "Chris Johnson is one of those people for us. His leadership on the field, in addition to his impact in the locker room and Nashville community have written him permanently into the story of this franchise."

Pihak organisasi Titans berkomitmen penuh untuk mendampingi Johnson dan keluarganya melewati masa-masa sulit ini.

"Learning this news is extremely difficult, and we will support Chris every step of the way throughout his journey. We are holding him and his family close, and join our fans around the world in expressing our love for Chris." tambah Amy Adams Strunk.

Respons dari tim medis yang menangani Johnson juga memberikan dorongan moral yang besar dalam mengarahkan perjuangan melawan penyakit ini.

"At first, it was little things like my grip didn't feel right and I wasn't as strong as I've always been," kata Chris Johnson kepada BBC. "There's no history of ALS in my family. That's one of the reasons this disease can be so shocking. It can happen to someone who never expected it."

Dr. Merit Cudkowicz dinilai memberikan pendekatan pengobatan yang kreatif demi membuka peluang kesembuhan di masa depan.

"She was willing to think more creatively, offering experimental treatments that might help and advance research," ungkap Chris Johnson. "We've been with her ever since, and that changed the course of our fight."

Meskipun deteksi dini telah dilakukan, kecepatan mutasi penyakit ini tetap mengejutkan secara fisik.

"I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body," terang Chris Johnson. "I can't even hold a cup if I try, and that's despite being diagnosed relatively early and doing everything we can, including participating in multiple experimental treatments. That's why early detection, more research, and better treatments are so important. We have to give people a better chance than what's available today."

Pihak Yahoo Sports mengabarkan beberapa kelompok riset medis saat ini tengah dikumpulkan untuk memfasilitasi bantuan donasi dari masyarakat bagi penelitian ALS.