Chicago Bears legend Steve McMichael is being moved into hospice care in a tragic development in the 67-year-old’s battle with ALS.
Multiple reports Wednesday have said that McMichael is being removed from a ventilator in ICU and being transferred into a care facility.
McMichael is loved throughout the city for his key role in the 1985 Super Bowl-winning team. He played for the Bears for 13 seasons and holds a club record for 191 consecutive games played.
ALS, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, impacts the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.
‘As of today, Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox has recommended to the family to transfer Steve into a Joliet hospice facility this afternoon,’ his wife Misty was quoted as saying by FOX 32 Chicago.
‘He’s been unresponsive for last two weeks and in and out of the hospital. He’s currently in the ICU at Silver Cross.’
Steve McMichael is in hospice care as he battles the advanced stages of ALS
The Hall of Famer bravely went public with his ALS diagnosis four years ago, in 2021
Last August, McMichael entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in emotional scenes as a ceremony was held by his bedside.
Bedridden in the advanced stages of the neurological disease, the two-time All-Pro defensive tackle was the second player enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame among seven members of the Class of 2024.
Surrounded by several of his Chicago Bears teammates and his wife, Misty, at his home in Homer Glen, Illinois, McMichael wore his gold jacket, and his bronze bust was unveiled live in a touching tribute.
‘You are on a team that you can never be cut from and never be released from. When you die, you´ll always be on this team. Welcome home, Steve. You´re in football heaven forever,’ Hall of Famer Richard Dent said, patting McMichael on the head.
Misty McMichael wiped tears as she turned her husband´s head toward the bronze bust.
Nicknamed ‘Mongo’ and known for his brash and boisterous personality, McMichael was the most feared player on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history.
He became the fourth defensive player from the 1985 team to enter the Hall, joining Dent, Mike Singletary and Dan Hampton.
McMichael´s sister, Kathy, read a speech that she began working on with her brother before he lost his ability to move and speak.
‘I want to thank the Chicago Bears and the fans, the best city to play football in,’ Kathy McMichael said. ‘I played 15 years in the NFL and loved every minute of every down. I played with the greatest players and the greatest defense to this day.’
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