Chris Bosh Says He's 'Lucky to Be Alive' After Waking Up Covered in Blood
chris bosh has revealed he recently experienced a sudden medical emergency that left him unconscious and waking up covered in his own blood while preparing for a date with his wife. The former NBA star posted a video message and described the episode as instant, leaving him with no memory of what happened and a changed outlook on life.
Chris Bosh describes the blackout and immediate aftermath
In an Instagram video he shared on social media, the 41-year-old said the episode began with a numbing sensation that traveled down his left leg before he blacked out. He said he later came to on the floor, noticed blood covering his body and saw his wife calling first responders. He tried to move but could not, and he described his memory of the event as limited to coming back from darkness.
Visible injuries and recovery gestures
Bosh pointed to discoloration around his eyes, saying he is still recovering and would not hide how he looks. He recounted waking "covered in my own blood, " called the experience "crazy" and said it was "fast" and without warning. He repeatedly framed the episode as a narrow escape, saying, "I'm lucky I came back. "
Left leg numbness, inability to move and first responders
The video provided a sequence: a numbing feeling down the left leg, loss of consciousness, awakening to a pool of blood and the arrival of emergency help after his wife placed the call. Bosh said there was no euphoric clarity or life montage when he blacked out—only gratitude and a more straightforward awareness of daily life.
Past blood-clot history, medical episodes and NBA rulings
Bosh has a documented history with blood clots that authorities and teams treated as career-altering. His 2014-15 season ended after a blood clot in his lungs, and he was hospitalized in 2015 for a pulmonary embolism after initially dismissing chest pain as a rib injury; tests later confirmed the clot. Blood clots continued to form in 2016, causing him to fail physicals with the Miami Heat. The NBA ruled in 2017 that he was unsafe to continue playing because of the condition, and one account states he retired officially in 2017. Another account notes he kept trying to return to the league until his retirement in 2019. Bosh did not say whether the previous clotting issues were a factor in this recent emergency.
Career achievements, public appearances and perspective
Bosh is an 11-time All-Star who broke into the league in 2003 as a 19-year-old, taken third overall out of Georgia Tech by the Toronto Raptors. He made five of his 11 All-Star teams with the Raptors and averaged 20. 2 points and 9. 4 rebounds per game during his time there. He won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, remains the Raptors' all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. He has been photographed at recent public events, including the Emirates NBA Cup championship at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 16, 2025, and sitting courtside at a college game at Moody Center on Nov. 18, 2025.
Message to fans and the broader takeaway
In his message he urged people not to delay important actions in life: "Don't wait to take action, " he said, offering examples from career moves to personal plans. He repeatedly returned to gratitude for being alive and a simpler, more honest approach to daily life. What makes this notable is the intersection of a sudden, unexplained blackout with a known, serious medical history of blood clots that previously curtailed his playing career—an alignment that immediately refocuses attention on both his short-term recovery and any potential medical follow-up.
chris bosh emphasized that he has no recollection of the event beyond returning to consciousness and that he is recovering. He did not disclose a formal diagnosis, leaving the precise medical cause unclear in the provided context, but his account underscores why emergency response and medical evaluation followed the incident.
