Matt Light Reveals Long Battle With Crohn's Disease
BOSTON (CBS) -- Matt Light's retirement ceremony at Gillette Stadium on Monday was a joyous occasion for the longtime offensive lineman, but he did share one moment from his history that was far from a celebration.
Light, 33, told ESPN's Mike Reiss that he's battled Crohn's disease for a decade, and that he suffered serious complications in 2004, causing him to drop from 315 pounds to 260 pounds.
Light told Reiss that he spent 30 days in the hospital that summer, missing the Patriots' ring ceremony for winning the Super Bowl earlier that year. Light underwent surgery to have 13 inches of his intestine removed, but his recovery hit several roadblocks. His condition became life-threatening.
Amazingly, Light was able not only to recover but also continue playing for nearly a full decade after the surgery. He'd go on to win a Super Bowl the following season and play in two more.
"Even though it was horrible and it was dark and I've had a lot of things since that surgery -- Crohn's doesn't go away when they cut out your intestine, it stays and it's definitely a big part of my life, something I deal with on a daily basis -- it definitely puts things in perspective," Light told Reiss.
