5 Weeks on Life Support: How I Survived Total Organ Failure | Jared Maynard

Jared Maynard is a Canadian physiotherapist, strength coach, and competitive powerlifter who specializes in resilience through strength training. In January 2023, what began as a mild cold quickly escalated into Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and deadly hyper-inflammatory disorder. Despite being strong and healthy, Jared rapidly suffered multi-organ failure, including liver and kidney failure, requiring him to be placed on life support in the ICU for five weeks. Facing fatality odds often described as worse than a coin flip, doctors prepared his family for the worst, but he made a miraculous turnaround, earning him the nickname "Miracle Man" from ICU staff.

Jared's survival was critically aided by his years of consistent strength training, with doctors confirming that the 40 pounds of muscle mass he lost served as a vital nutritional reserve during his illness. His harrowing recovery required him to relearn basic functions like walking, talking, and swallowing. Just over a year after leaving the hospital, Jared made a powerful return to the powerlifting platform on May 25, 2024, achieving a lifetime personal record deadlift of 501.5 lbs and a PR DOTS score. Jared continues to compete and uses his story—which includes facing the progressive genetic eye disease, Choroideremia (CHM)—to share the transformative power of strength and inspire others to persevere.

TIMESTAMPS:
03:07 - This 507lb Deadlift is a Victory Over Death
06:29 - The First Sign of Total Organ Failure
10:30 - A 1-in-500,000 Disease: A Coin Flip For Survival
15:09 - "They Were Prepping My Wife to Say Goodbye"
22:56 - Waking Up Strapped Down: "Lord, Take Me Now"
28:52 - My Daughters' First Visit: "Daddy, You Looked Scary"
1:21:44 - The Hardest Lift of My Life: An Empty Barbell
1:43:14 - How Powerlifting Literally Saved My Life
1:39:38 - Surviving Death, Now Facing Blindness
1:55:51 - Forging a Mantra in Hell: "You're Not Done Yet"

Contact Links for Jared Maynard
Instagram: @jared.rebuild_stronger

Website: https://www.rebuildstrongeronline.com/

Podcast: Rebuild Stronger Podcast

Prior Instagram Handle (Now redirecting): @jared.unbreakable_strength

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