Former NHL player Ron Duguay was hospitalized last Friday after being found unconscious at his home, his daughter Shay Thomas reported. Doctors diagnosed him with severe dehydration and discovered varices, portal hypertensive gastropathy, internal bleeding, and an ulcer.
Duguay, 69, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer earlier this year. His daughter explained on Instagram that pressure from the cancer in his liver, exacerbated by surgery, chemotherapy, and a medical pump, had backed up into his stomach, causing bleeding. The ulcer requires further evaluation, but the liver pressure and bleeding are the primary concerns.
Thomas shared that Duguay had been struggling to eat due to feeling unwell before the incident. He was conscious when attended to by emergency services and during transport to the hospital, where he is currently receiving blood transfusions and close monitoring.
Despite the medical emergency, Duguay has maintained a positive outlook. He posted a photo on Instagram showing himself missing several teeth, humorously noting he found them on his bedroom floor. His daughter's posts also included video of him being moved into an ambulance and on a gurney through the hospital.
This hospitalization comes about five months after Duguay disclosed his Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, which originated in the colon over a year ago. He has undergone surgery to remove his appendix and gallbladder. A GoFundMe created by his family to assist with medical expenses has raised over $160,000.
Duguay, who spent eight of his 12 NHL seasons with the New York Rangers, was selected 13th overall in the 1977 NHL Draft and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1979. He recorded 274 goals and 346 assists in 864 career games and was selected to the All-Star Game in 1982. He later worked for MSG Network before his dismissal in 2018.