TRIBUNNEWS.COM - Lama tak ada kabar, kondisi terbaru aktor Jet Li benar-benar mencengangkan.
Aktor yang sering menunjukkan aksi bela diri di televisi itu dikabarkan mengidap penyakit yang berpengaruh pada jantung dan menyebabkan tak bisa melakukan olahraga berat.
Akibat penyakit dideritanya, Jet Li hanya bisa duduk di kursi roda dan harus dibopong untuk bisa berjalan.
Padahal, orang mengenal sosok dia sebagai aktor yang tak mudah menyerah dalam setiap film yang ia perankan.
Kata dia, dirinya sangat menyesal dengan apa yang ia lakukan pada masa muda sebab sama sekali tak ia nikmati di masa tua.
Pasalnya, dalam foto itu, saat dia mengunjungi sebuah kuil, fisiknya tampak lemah, rambut mulai dipenuhi uban, dan kulit wajahnya berkerut.
Ini memang sebanding dengan usianya yang mulai lanjut.
Tentu sangat kontras ketika melihat dia tampil pada layar kaca.
Ada apa dengan Jet Li yang kini berkewarganegaraan Singapura?
Dikutip dari laman portal berita hiburan Singapura, Toggle.sg, kabarnya, kondisi fisik mantan juara wushu itu kini sebenarnya memburuk sebagai dampak dari film action yang dibintanginya sejak dulu.
Fans of ailing martial arts superstar Jet Li Lianjie have been sharing their own personal battles with hyperthyroidism, the illness the 55-year-old actor is suffering from, as news of his frail appearance continues to make shock waves.
Li, the Hollywood icon who starred in Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon and more recently Expendables 2, is suffering from hyperthyroidism as well as spinal problems.
A recent photograph of the action star visiting a temple in Tibet has been widely circulated with many people taken aback by Li’s seemingly-poor health.
Li has said that his resting heart rate can go up to 130 beats per minute because of his illness, and that he cannot do any rigorous exercise.
And while Chinese netizens have prayed for his health on Saturday, news of his condition has spread across the English-speaking world with fans across Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the US expressing disbelief that they were seeing the same Beijing-born actor, who has appeared in dozens of action moves spanning four decades. Many hoped for Li to make a quick and complete recovery.
Is this the same Jet Li we all know? Martial arts legend battles illness and injuries as fans express shock
Li’s story has received more than 20,000 shares on the South China Morning Post website with fans calling the former wushu champion their “hero”.
Others mentioned their favourite Jet Li films, while some fans posted their own personal battles with the condition in the comments section as they tried to help raise awareness of hyperthyroidism.
Watch: Jet Li’s top 10 best films
“We pray for your fast recovery, idol. We’re so sad about what happened to you. Keep fighting and believing that God will heal you. We will pray for your good health,” said Elena Gastalla.
“Get well soon,” said Keith E Tomerlin. “You are our favourite actor. We loved you in Romeo Must Die, The Forbidden Kingdom and Cradle 2 The Grave.”
The actor and producer said he had been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid in 2010 and although he took medication that kept his illness in check, the condition kept coming back.
Hyperthyroidism causes changes in a person’s metabolism and heart rate, and is usually treated through medication.
Li says his strong belief in Buddhism as well as meditation and scripture reading help stabilise his condition.
One reader, Fanny Chan, told the South China Morning Post that diet was key to overcoming an illness which in the US alone affects around 1.6 per cent of the population.
“I took medicine for almost two years and everything appeared normal and I thought I was on the road to recovery. However, it came back again. I had to calm myself down and not worry too much about it,” she said.
“My doctor said I needed to take iodine radioactive [treatment] to cure the illness but I didn’t take it and I just tried to avoid a high iodine diet. I am now completely cured.”
Another reader, Linda Begue, said she hoped there would be a cure for Li, adding: “I had hyperthyroidism in 1983. Then again after a few years. My doctor then in San Francisco said it’s caused by anxiety, which is right on the nose. That time I was very worried about my children.”
A reader from Indonesia offered a cure for Li, saying he had a “miracle medicine” using herbal remedies and offered free treatment for the action star.
Other South China Morning Post readers wished for Li’s “speedy recovery”.
“One of my favourite actors. May God bless you and have mercy on your illness,” said one reader.
Has Chinese actor Jet Li's health deteriorated in recent years?
Recent photos circulating on China's social media platforms purportedly of the 55-year-old Beijing-born action star have fuelled speculation that Li is in poor health.
The photo allegedly showed Lee, who became a Singapore citizen in 2009, with an unidentified man assisting him while visiting a temple in Tibet.
On Weibo, many Chinese netizens were taken aback by the frail appearance of the actor, and expressed hopes for his health to improve.
However, Li has yet to confirm or respond to speculations regarding the recent photos.
In 2010, the actor was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which reportedly caused his weight to fluctuate. His doctor advised him against exercising, and some of the symptoms from the illness included muscle weakness and sleeping problems.
Years later, in a 2016 interview with The Straits Times, Li said that media reports of his health were greatly exaggerated.
He added that he had recovered from hyperthyroidism, and added: "There is nothing to worry about my health."
However, the South China Morning Post reported on Saturday (May 19) that Li said last year that even though he has been taking medication to keep his overactive thyroid in check, the condition "kept coming back".
Recently, Li appeared in a 20-minute short film called Gong Shou Dao, or the Art of Attack and Defence, with Alibaba founder and martial arts fan Jack Ma. Fellow martial arts specialists Donnie Yen, Wu Jing and Thailand's Tony Jaa also made cameo appearances.
Last month, it was reported that Li was in final talks to take on the role of the emperor of China in Disney's upcoming live-action version of Mulan, together with Chinese star Gong Li. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Siapa yang tak kenal Jet Li? Aktor laga asal Beijing ini tak hanya populer di Asia tapi juga di dunia. Ia adalah salah satu bintang kung fu terfavorit di Hollywood. Jet Li telah membintangi ratusan film baik di Tiongkok maupun Amerika Serikat. Sosoknya jadi idola banyak anak 90-an. Keahlian bela diri mumpuni ditunjang paras yang tampan, tak heran Jet Li pernah jadi panutan. Tapi penasaran gak dengan kabar terbaru ahli kung fu ini? 1. Sejak kecil Jet Li telah menekuni olahraga Wushu, ia bahkan menjadi juara dunia di usia remaja Instagram.com/jetli Walau besar dalam keluarga berkekurangan, namun bakat wushu Jet Li sejak usia 8 tahun berhasil mengubah nasibnya. 2. Berangkat dari situ, ia mengembangkan keahlian bela dirinya dengan seni peran Instagram.com/jetli Setelah sukses sebagai atlet wushu dan memenangkan perlombaan internasional, Jet Li mengubah haluan untuk mengejar karier di dunia seni peran. 3. Sejak tahun 70-an Jet Li mulai menjadi salah satu aktor laga paling disegani Instagram.com/jetli Bak gayung bersambut, perlahan tapi pasti bakat dan kemampuannya membawa sang ahli wushu meraih kesuksesan di layar lebar. Ia pun laris membintangi berbagai judul film di Tiongkok. 4. Ia dan Jackie Chan sahabat baik & sama-sama aktor kung fu yang dikagumi di dunia Instagram.com/jetli Sama-sama ahli bela diri dan sama-sama bintang film laris, tak heran jika persahabatan erat terjalin antara Jet Li dan Jackie Chan. Keduanya sama-sama legenda baik di Asia maupun di Hollywood. 5. Sejak era 90-an namanya juga berjaya di Hollywood. Jet Li sukses dengan judul-judul seperti The One & Romeo Must Die Instagram.com/jetli Tak hanya di Asia, nama Jet Li pun berkibar di Hollywood. Seperti kawannya, Jet Li juga laris manis di Amerika Serikat dan membintangi sejumlah film laga papan atas. Salah satu film Hollywood terakhirnya adalah box office The Expendables. Baca juga: 7 Fakta Ibu Juragan Kung Fu Hustle, Ternyata Pernah Jadi "Bond Girl!" EDITORS' PICKS 6. Lama tak terlihat di layar lebar, pada 2017 Jet Li mengungkapkan soal kondisi kesehatannya Instagram.com/jetli Sejak tahun 2010, Jet Li mulai jarang tampak di dunia perfilman. Ia tak lagi eksis dan konsisten menelurkan film baru. Rupanya hal ini disebabkan karena kondisi kesehatannya yang memburuk. 7. Ayah empat anak ini menderita hipertiroidisme dan cidera kaki serta tulang belakang Instagram.com/jetli Hipertiroidisme menyebabkan perubahan dalam metabolisme dan detak jantung seseorang. Walau Jet Li telah menjalani pengobatan, namun penyakit ini terus kembali mengganggu kesehatannya. Ia terpaksa berhenti berakting demi memulihkan kondisi. 8. Pada 2013 dokter memperingatkan bahwa Jet Li bisa lumpuh jika ia terus berperan dalam film yang menguras fisik Instagram.com/jetli Selain itu, sang pemeran Wong Fei Hung juga mengalami cidera kaki dan tulang belakang yang membuatnya tak mampu berdiri tegak dalam waktu lama. Semua masalah kesehatan ini akibat bertahun-tahun melakukan syuting yang memberatkan bagi fisiknya. Dan kondisi ini akan semakin parah jika ia tidak berhenti melakukannya. 9. Untuk menunjang penyembuhannya Jet Li juga meningkatkan ibadah sebagai cara menstabilkan kondisi kesehatan Instagram.com/jetli Selain menjalani pengobatan, Jet Li juga semakin memperdalam iman demi membantu menstabilkan kondisinya. Itulah mengapa sekarang ia sering melakukan perjalanan spiritual ke Tibet, melakukan meditasi, atau membaca kitab suci. 10. Baru-baru ini fotonya saat sedang mengunjungi sebuah kuil di Tibet membuat banyak orang terkesiap. Jet Li tampak sangat berbeda Twitter.com Dalam foto tersebut Jet Li tampak sangat renta dan ringkih, padahal usianya masih 55 tahun. Ia bahkan sepertinya harus dituntun agar bisa berjalan. Netizen sangat tidak menyangka sang jago kung fu yang gagah bisa tampil begitu lemah. Sebagian besar warganet mengekspresikan rasa sedih dan khawatir terhadap kesehatan Jet Li. Mereka berharap sang "Wong Fei Hung" bisa kembali sehat total. Mereka juga mengenang masa-masa ketika ia begitu gagah dan jadi idola masa kecil mereka. Wah, semoga om Jet Li benar-benar lekas pulih dan hidup bahagia di masa tuanya ya, guys! Baca juga: 10 Potret Etta Ng Putri Jackie Chan yang Boyish Abis dan Lagi Viral
