Death in Paradise's Shaquille Ali-Yebuah learned cousin 'got killed by police' moments before emergency surgery
Death in Paradise's Shaquille Ali-Yebuah underwent three surgeries in a month after suffering two spontaneous pneumothoraces in Los Angeles, while also learning his cousin "got killed by police" in Jamaica.
Death in Paradise's Shaquille Ali-Yebuah learned his cousin "got killed by police" moments before the star received emergency surgery that saved his life.
The actor, who plays Officer Sebastien Rose in the BBC comedy crime series, was rushed to hospital in Los Angeles with a suspected chest infection, but was later told by doctors he had a collapsed lung and had to have three surgeries in a month.
Detailing his "wild month" on Instagram on September 11, Shaquille, 31, posted a slew of pictures from his time in Beverly Hills Cedars-Sinai hospital, including being hooked up to an IV.
The entertainer's caption read: "A short trip to LA turned into 4 weeks of survival. I went hospital for chest pain, turns out I was walking around with a collapsed lung for 5 days.
"Doctors done surgery, fixed it, said I couldn’t leave LA until I got the all clear to fly, I recovered for 2 weeks thinking I’d be back to shooting soon - only for the x-rays to show on my follow up appt that my lung collapsed again!
"Spontaneous pneumothorax back to back. It was almost like life was forcing me to be still. (sic)"
After thanking the medical team for looking after him, Shaquille continued: "Three surgeries in 4 weeks… hated needles, now I’m getting injected two times a day for blood, a fear became a daily routine. (sic)"
He then shared his devastation at learning about his cousin, saying: "And right before they wheeled me into surgery, I got news my cousin got k*lled by police back home in Jamaica. (sic)"
Revealing another heartbreak, Shaquille went on: "Imagine trying to process a death while somebody’s asking you to sign papers in case YOU don’t wake up.
"I wake up from surgery, body cut up full of tubes, grateful I made it - just to hear my other lil cousin got locked up.
"RIP Dada. (sic)"
Shaquille said the ordeal left him surrounded by reminders of death as he recovered.
He penned: "Every day bad news that hospital TV kept showing celebrities, faces I grew up seeing, transition.
"Death felt way too present while I was lying there fighting to breathe, alone with my thoughts. (sic)"
The Solo: A Star Wars Story alum said his first surgery "didn't work", and by the time he underwent his third operation, Shaquille had lost a lot of weight.
He said: "8KG down right before the 3rd surgery. Kept my Mind elevated even though my body couldn’t, they cut me open multiple times but couldn’t cut my spirit. (sic)"
Shaquille admitted he had been pushing himself physically just before seeking medical attention.
The Save Me cast member said: "This was an hour before I went for my initial hospital check up as I kept getting shortness of breath, I just hit the push up record for the day at Venice Beach, oblivious I was walking around with one lung for 5 days, thought the pain was just a chest infection.
"Everyday pain. (sic)"
Shaquille mentioned that he had met a doctor in Los Angeles who was a fan of Death in Paradise.
He wrote: "The Main Doctor at the first hospital and overseer of my first surgery turned out to be a huge fan of DIP, what’s the odds.
"We give thanks man, we don't dwell, it's all a part of the journey. (sic)"
Shaquille concluded: "The thing is, you can't prevent a spontaneous pneumothorax, so to have it back to back maybe God made me be still because I spent my whole life moving - chasing the next dream, the next flight, the next version of me.
"I was worried about the scenes I was missing... then life gave me a role where the only thing that mattered was making it to the next scene."
"They say you only live once, but I don't agree. You only DIE once, you LIVE every day, make it count. (sic)"
