Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Jamie Roberts

Ashton Kutcher is 'lucky to be alive' after suffering from rare autoimmune disorder

Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher has revealed he is "lucky to be alive" after he was left unable to walk, see or hear due to a rare autoimmune disorder.

The actor, 44, detailed the awful symptoms he suffered in an upcoming episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge.

In the sneak peek clip of the episode, shared by Access Hollywood, the That '70s Show star said: "Like two years ago, I had this weird, super rare form of vasculitis, that like knocked out my vision, it knocked out my hearing, it knocked out like all my equilibrium. It took me like a year to build it all back up."

Vasculitis, according to the NHS, involves the immune system attacking healthy blood vessels, causing them to become swollen and narrow. The cause is often unknown, but is said to be potentially triggered by an infection or a medicine.

Ashton Kutcher has revealed he feels 'lucky to be alive' (Getty Images)

Ashton went on to describe how his scary experience actually gave him a new-found appreciation for his health and senses. He explained how he had never realised how essential they actually were until he had lost them, saying: "You don't really appreciate it, until it's gone."

He continued: "Until you go, 'I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to see again, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to hear again, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to walk again,"' before confessing he feels "lucky to be alive".

Ashton Kutcher with wife Mila Kunis (Getty Images North America)

His admissions led to Bear praising his "strength through adversity" after the actor told how it took him a year to build up his strength again.

And Ashton, who shares two children with his wife and fellow actress Mila Kunis, 38, said he looks upon such challenges as a way to potentially grow. He added: "The minute you start seeing your obstacles as things that are made for you, to give you what you need, then life starts to get fun, right? You start surfing on top of your problems instead of living underneath them."

Mila and Ashton have been fundraising for the people of Ukraine (Getty Images for Disney)

It's thought the star laid especially low during the coronavirus pandemic because of the disorder.

Both Ashton and Mila have been active fundraisers in a bid to help the actress's native Ukraine amid the country's war with Russia.

The pair launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for Ukrainian citizens in March when war broke out and within five days had raised almost £15 million. To date it has currently raised just over £30 million.

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.