The stroke left 85-year-old Shreve bedridden, necessitating frequent transitions between his home and a nursing facility. The prolonged immobility contributed to the development of painful and dangerous pressure wounds.

Speaking from the hospital, Shreve made a direct appeal to fans and the wrestling community:

“I want the world to pray for me.”

Malikah Marshall, Shreve's assistant, provided a candid assessment of his deteriorating health and the gravity of his condition.

“He’s not doing too well. He has a sacral wound and it started real small. And now it’s real large to where you could probably put one or two of your fists in his wound.”

Marshall, who has been helping Shreve for the past 15 years, added to her concerns:

“I’ve been helping him for the past 15 years and I’ve never seen him like this. He’s lost so much weight.”

Marshall also expressed profound concern regarding the severity of the infection, which has advanced to affect Shreve's tailbone, and the potential for a life-threatening outcome if not urgently addressed.

“I don’t know what to do because I need help. I need somebody to help me because I want to save his life. With a wound that deep, sepsis set in and he could die.”

The situation highlights a broader public health issue. Bedsores are common among individuals who are bedridden or have limited mobility. Estimates suggest that 1 in 10 people in nursing homes develop these wounds. They are caused by sustained pressure on the skin that reduces or cuts off blood flow. If left untreated, bedsores can rapidly worsen, increasing the risk of life-threatening bacterial infections like sepsis, which can be fatal. Bedsores can even turn deadly.

Although he’s in a great deal of pain, Shreve himself is in great spirits.

“I’m 85 years old and the big part about, you can always come home.”

Shreve set up a GoFundMe to help pay medical expenses.

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