"Flip or Flop" star Tarek El Moussa is showing fans just how sick he was years ago when he was battling not one, but two cancers.
In 2013, El Moussa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after a viewer was watching his HGTV show and spotted a suspicious lump on his throat. Recently it was revealed he was also diagnosed with testicular cancer around the same time. And living up to the superstition that bad things come in threes, he also was suffering from a debilitating back injury. Needless to say, it was a hard time for the star.
“I was a skeleton,” wrote El Moussa, who is now going through a divorce with wife and co-star Christina, in a recent Instagram picture in which he reflects on his health battle.
“I thought I would share this with everyone... to truly understand how absolutely sick I was,” he captioned the photo which was taken during his difficult time. In it, he looks much more thin than the home flipper star typically does, which he blames on the 60-pound weight swing from his illnesses.
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“The last three years were the hardest of my life, I look back and still wonder how I survived,” he said. “I never quit although I wanted to thousands of times all day every day.”
El Moussa didn’t seem to want sympathy, though. He said he was sharing this image for his fans who have had similar struggles and can relate. He ended the caption with a bit of inspiration for those who are going through hard times.
“I'm proud to say I didn't quit and I'm in the best shape of my life,” he said. “For everyone struggling right now from any situation.. remember... keep your head up and don't quit! There is light at the end of the tunnel, stay strong!”
The following day, he posted an “after” photo where he looks healthy and happy. “I think this picture represents winning the war against my illnesses,” he wrote. “What do you think?”