Brent Freeburg, a cameraman who worked on Below Deck for years, is in a coma after suffering two strokes and a subdural hematoma.
The crew member has worked as the camera operator on multiple reality TV shows including Dance Moms.
Freeburg suffered a subdural hematoma in Redondo Beach, California on Saturday, February 15, according to a GoFundMe created by his family.
Freeburg’s mother Cheri announced that he was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery.
According to Cedars-Sinai, a subdural hematoma is a buildup of blood on the surface of the brain when the blood builds up in a space between the protective layers that surrounds the brain.
While working on the set of Below Deck’s sixth season in 2018, Freeburg made headlines for saving cast member Ashton Pienaar’s life.
Brent Freeburg (left), a cameraman who worked on Below Deck for years, is in a coma after suffering two strokes and a subdural hematoma. While working on the set of Below Deck’s sixth season in 2018, Freeburg made headlines for saving cast member Ashton Pienaar’s (right) life
He rescued the deckhand when he was pulled overboard after a tow line wrapped around his ankle.
On Tuesday, Pienaar shared a post about Freeburg.
Read More EXCLUSIVE: Below Deck’s Ashton Pienaar on the terrifying moment he almost drowned after being dragged overboard while entangled in a rope
‘Some people leave an impact on your life that you can never repay. Brent is one of those people for me.’
To viewers, he added: ‘If you have a moment, please keep him in your thoughts.’
Pienaar concluded that he would be ‘wishing him strength, healing and a full recovery.’
Last weekend, his mother shared an update about his health, explaining that he suffered a stroke and ‘is weak on his left side.’
‘The neurologist explained the damaged part of his brain from the stroke appears to be just his left side of the body and nothing else, so far,’ she wrote on Saturday.
The next day, she said he underwent a percutaneous tracheostomy, which ‘allows air to pᴀss into the windpipe to help with breathing,’ per the Mayo Clinic.
Freeburg suffered a subdural hematoma in Redondo Beach, California on Saturday, February 15, according to a GoFundMe created by his family
Freeburg’s mother Cheri announced that he was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery
Last weekend, his mother shared an update about his health, explaining that he suffered a stroke and ‘is weak on his left side’
On Thursday, Freeburg’s cousin shared another health update. ‘Good thing is he did move his toes and squeeze his hand on command,’ his cousin wrote
His cousin explained that the family is planning to move him to the east coast for stroke recovery and rehabilitation once he wakes up
She shared another update on Monday and explained that he got the sтιтches on his head removed.
She also shared that a feeding peg was moved from his nose and to his stomach.
He will remain at the hospital for ‘a few more days at least’ before being moved to a rehab facility, she added.
The following day, she said that he had an infection but noted that doctors have not identified its source. She also said that he opens his eyes ‘every once in a while.’
On Thursday, Freeburg’s cousin shared another health update.
‘Good thing is he did move his toes and squeeze his hand on command,’ his cousin wrote before explaining that the family is planning to move him to the east coast for stroke recovery and rehabilitation once he wakes up.
‘Brent, keep fighting bud. You are so strong. And oh so loved,’ she wrote.