Celebrity Health

Al Unser Sr. -- who won the Indianapolis 500 four times -- has died after battling cancer for years, racing officials announced Friday morning.

He was 82 years old.

Unser Sr.'s son, Al Unser Jr., confirmed the news in a statement on Friday ... saying, "My heart is so saddened. My father passed away last night. He was a great man and even a greater Father. Rest In Peace Dad!"

Unser Sr. was a racing legend -- he began competing in the sport in 1957 -- and later raced in his first-ever Indy 500 in 1965.

Unser Sr. went on to win the famous race four total times -- including in 1987, when he became the oldest-ever to win at 47 years old.

In his famed career, Unser Sr. also earned three Indycar Series championships in 1970, 1983 and 1985.

Tragically, Unser Sr. was diagnosed with cancer 17 years ago ... but he valiantly fought the disease all the way up until his death Thursday.

Of course, Unser Sr. was not the only Unser to have success on the track ... Unser Jr. won the Indy 500 twice -- making the two the only father-son duo to ever earn victories in the race. Unser Sr.'s brother, Bobby Unser, also won the 500 three times.

Unser Sr. was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1986, and later inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1998.

The "Athlete Of The Year" isn't Super Bowl champ Tom Brady or gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee ... it's Simone Biles, according to Time Magazine, who ironically receives the accolade for NOT performing.

It's a controversial pick (check Twitter) by Time ... who selected the 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist as the recipient of the prestigious honor.

Of course, Biles pulled out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after struggling with mental health issues, including the "Twisties" -- where a gymnast becomes disoriented in the air (dangerous when you're tumbling in the air) -- causing her to pull out of the Games.

At the time, Biles tearfully explained her decision to withdraw, explaining she was seeing a therapist to help battle her "demons," saying "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being."

Biles was widely celebrated by fellow athletes and fans across the country for putting a spotlight on mental health.

However, there were also detractors who say Biles flat-out quit on her team and country ... insisting there's nothing to celebrate.

Count teammate Suni Lee -- who recently was named "Athlete Of The Year" by Sports Illustrated (along with swimmer Caeleb Dressel) -- firmly on the side of those who say Biles positively changed sports forever.

“What Simone did changed the way we view our well-being, 100%. It showed us that we are more than the sport, that we are human beings who also can have days that are hard. It really humanized us.”

And, Biles is adamant she wouldn't change a thing about how she handled Tokyo.

“I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted," Simone told Time, saying, "But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Lamar Odom says he's given up 3 vices after splitting with his fiancée ... insisting he's no longer doing drugs, watching porn, or dating women.

42-year-old Odom broke up with Sabrina Parr late last year ... just months after the couple was engaged to be married. In light of the split, Lamar says he's made some major changes in his life.

"A year ago yesterday I left my ex-fiance' at the W Hotel in Atlanta without notice. When she realized I was gone back to my home in San Diego she was livid. I received over 250 calls and text messages over the course of last December from her wanting to fix us. We were toxic. Independently and collectively," the former star hooper wrote on social media.

Odom says he "hated being alone" ... and "sought solace in marijuana and a slew of random women, not loving any of them, not really wanting to be with any of them, but it beat being lonely."

Then Lamar says he had an epiphany.

"One day, my soul opened up, light bulb went off and I wanted and needed to change for ME! My team had worked hard to get me a fresh start. I had to honor that 🙏🏽"

Odom knew it was time to make some serious life changes ... and that's exactly what he says he did.

"Today, I am free. Drug free. Pornography addiction free. Marijuana free. Relationship free. I am rebuilding a relationship with myself. With my family. I am focused on my faith. My growth. My brand. I am a legend. I own that. I am a recovering addict. I own that too."

It's a big step for the former NBA All-Star.

Of course, Odom overdosed and nearly died after a night of hard partying at Dennis Hof's brothel in Nevada back in 2015.

Lamar has vowed to live a sober life in the past ... but has sometimes struggled to stay clean.

That is, until now, Lamar says ... and it's clear he appreciates the support.

"I truly love you all for loving me"

Scary moment in the NHL on Tuesday ... Chicago Blackhawks winger Jujhar Khaira was knocked out after taking a violent shoulder to the face -- and he was eventually hospitalized.

The horrifying scene all went down in the second period of the Hawks' game against the Rangers in Chicago ... when Khaira was blindsided by New York star Jacob Trouba.

You can see in footage of the play, Khaira's head slammed hard off the ice after he took the hit ... and he was immediately knocked unconscious.

The 27-year-old laid motionless for several seconds -- and he was ultimately put on a stretcher and taken to a nearby medical facility.

Fortunately, the Blackhawks say Khaira is doing well ... with head coach Derek King telling media members, "He's up. He's talking. He's very responsive."

"I think he wants to get back on the ice," King added with a laugh.

Khaira -- who's played in 18 games for the Blackhawks this season -- is expected to undergo several more tests to figure out just how bad his injuries are.

Nick Cannon sent a big thank you to everyone for the support, kind words and love sent after yesterday's emotional announcement where he revealed the devastating news that his 5-month-old son, Zen, passed away.

The "Wild "N Out" creator shared his gratitude on the "The Nick Cannon Show" Wednesday afternoon... "of course, everyone knows I'm not fine, but you all are making me feel better."

Nick says he feels a bit of guilt because he never wanted to exploit the news, but he is appreciative of the outpour of support ... "The onslaught of love is new to me, so thank you is all I can say."

Nick kept his son's diagnosis private for months out of respect for Zen's mom, model Alyssa Scott, and everyone in their family. Cannon says she's been taking things "5 minutes at a time."

As we previously reported, Nick announced Tuesday that his youngest child Zen died from a brain tumor ... after his brain tumor began to grow quickly around thanksgiving. Nick says he got to hold Zen for the last time by the ocean last weekend, after he made a trip to California to spend time with his baby.

Zen was Nick's 7th child and 4th of Nick's kids born in the last year and a half.

Pele is hospitalized in Brazil -- where the soccer legend is undergoing chemotherapy treatments -- this months after the soccer G.O.A.T. found out he had colon cancer.

The 81-year-old FIFA "Player Of The Century" is receiving chemo at Sao Paolo Hospital Albert Einstein, the hospital and Pele's assistant announced this week, in an effort to treat cancer found during a routine exam in September.

After the diagnosis, the former footballer underwent surgery to remove a tumor in September, spending nearly a month in the hospital. At the time, the hospital said Pele would require chemotherapy.

So, nothing unexpected ... and the hospital says the plan is to discharge Pele -- who is in stable condition -- in the next few days.

Despite the health conditions, Pele has continued to keep a positive attitude.

“When the path is difficult, celebrate each step of the journey,” he wrote on Instagram during his last hospital stay.

“Focus on your happiness. It’s true that I can’t jump anymore, but these past few days, I’ve been punching the air more times than usual.”

As for Pele the player, many people consider him to be the greatest soccer player of all time. He is the only male to win the World Cup three times ... leading Brazil to their first title in 1958.

And, he is also the country's all-time leading international scorer with 77 goals and scored more than 1,000 in his entire playing career before retiring in 1977.

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is getting an early Christmas gift this year ... the WWE legend announced that he's officially cancer free after his bout with prostate cancer!!

"I just wanna share the great news I just received," Hacksaw said Wednesday, "That my cancer is all encapsulated inside my prostate."

"Thank God, I'm officially cancer free."

Hacksaw says doctors performed tests on his bones, lymph nodes, and the surrounding tissue ... and once everything came out clear, they officially declared him cancer free.

Back in October, the Hall of Famer was hospitalized to undergo a procedure that would try to eradicate the disease. Duggan and his wife, Debra, opened up about how he had been battling the disease for months.

67-yeard-old Duggan went down to South Carolina to have his surgery ... and, fortunately for him, his family said everything went as planned and he was recovering and resting comfortably.

This isn't the first time Jim has battled health problems ... 20 years ago, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. In 2018, he spent time in the ICU suffering from heart issues.

"This is my second bout with cancer," Duggan said. "Twenty years ago, I had kidney cancer. Now prostate cancer."

In light of his recent experience, Jim encouraged people to stay on top of their health ... saying ... "Folks remember, early detection saves lives."

Tiger Woods is back ... the golf legend has just committed to playing again nearly 10 months after his car crash -- officially signing up for next week's PNC Championship with his son.

The event will take place beginning on Dec. 16 in Orlando, Florida ... and it's a huge deal -- considering it'll be the first time Woods has competed on the course since he horrifically broke his leg in a Feb. 23 car crash.

As we previously reported, Woods suffered comminuted open fractures in his right leg -- and he said last week the injuries were so bad, amputation was a very real possibility.

But, Tiger's made huge strides in his comeback -- swinging his golf clubs regularly ... and now, he clearly feels he's ready to compete in a tournament.

While the PNC Championship is certainly not the Masters -- it's still a 36-hole event that'll pit Tiger and his son, Charlie Woods, against some of the biggest names in golf -- including John Daly, Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson.

"Although it’s been a long and challenging year," Woods said of his impending return, "I am very excited to close it out by competing in the PNC Championship with my son Charlie. I'm playing as a Dad and couldn't be more excited and proud."

Serena Williams will not be playing in next month's Australian Open tournament 'cause she isn't physically healthy enough, with the tennis G.O.A.T. explaining she's "not where she needs to be physically."

"Following the advice of my medical team, I have decided to withdraw from this year's Australian Open," Williams said in a statement.

"While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete," Williams said.

"Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit and I look forward to playing at the AO every year. I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level."

FYI, the Australian Open -- one of the sports 4 major tourneys -- goes down in late January in Melbourne Park. Serena has won the tournament 7 times.

The Australian Open tweeted out support for the tennis legend, writing ... "All our love, @serenawilliams. Come back stronger 💪 #AusOpen."

This latest announcement from Serena comes just months after she withdrew from the U.S. Open ... so she could nurse a hamstring injury she sustained at Wimbledon.

Williams -- who holds more grand slam titles (23) than any other active player -- needs one more victory to tie Margaret Court's record (24) ... and two more to pass her.

Aaron Rodgers is breaking his silence after meeting with one of the top sports medicine doctors in the world ... explaining he wanted another doc to examine his busted toe.

"I wanted to get a second opinion on my toe," Rodgers said on the "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday. "We got incredible doctors here in Wisconsin who many people across the country will send their issues to. Foot, ankle, toe, whatever."

Aaron continued ... "I went out and saw fantastic doctors out there and had some good conversations, and thankful for that opportunity to gather some more information."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the Green Bay quarterback arrived at the Kerlan Jobe offices last Friday morning where he was greeted by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in the parking lot.

Dr. ElAttrache is one of the top sports medicine doctors in the world ... and has worked on famous patients like Tiger Woods and Conor McGregor.

Unfortunately, not even ElAttrache had a magic bullet for Aaron's toe -- outside of resting -- something Rodgers won't get much more of with a Sunday Night Football game against the Bears looming.

Aaron's pinky toe has been the center of a lot of controversy. In fact, last month AR slammed a report accusing him of having "COVID toe" ... with the Super Bowl MVP explaining he simply had a fractured digit.

He even went as far as to show a group of media members his actual toe ... so they could physically see he had no lesions or discoloration on his foot, which had been reported.

He also wishes the Packers -- who were on their bye week -- had another one ... saying ... "The biggest key is rest," when it comes to rehabbing his injured toe.

Sad about the Bills' loss on Monday night? Here's a Buffalo fan who definitely feels worse than you ...

Feast your eyes on a Bills Mafia member who bungled a table-smashing effort so badly on Monday -- he ended up nearly breaking bones in his lower body!!

The terrifying/hilarious scene all went down in a parking lot tailgate near Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park just hours before the Bills took on the Patriots.

For some reason, a fan decided to climb on top of a bus to break some dining room furniture before the big AFC East showdown -- but, unfortunately for him, it didn't go so well.

Watch the clip -- as fans gassed up the Bills backer (who was dressed in Buffalo gear and, thankfully, a helmet), the dude jumped ... and, well, he didn't stick the landing.

The guy missed the table almost completely -- crashing down on HARD on his tailbone.

A witness, though, tells us somehow the guy avoided serious injury -- but he was moving around gingerly and was clearly sore.

To make matters worse, the guy's night didn't get much better after that ... 'cause the Bills went on to lose a bad one to the Patriots, 14-10.

Australian actress Rebel Wilson hit a personal goal, dropping over 77 pounds ... but she admits her own team wasn't happy about it.

The "Pitch Perfect" star told "BBC Breakfast" she decided to lose weight for her health, but she got pushback from her own management ... They questioned, "'Why would you wanna do that?' Because I was earning millions of dollars being the funny fat girl and being that person."

Rebel says, although she was always comfortable with her weight, she found comfort in food to escape her emotions as she struggled to establish herself as an actress.

She says she knew that she needed to make a change... "I knew deep down inside that some of the emotional eating behaviors I was doing was not healthy. Like I did not need a tub of ice cream every night."

Last November, Rebel revealed she reached her goal weight of 165 lbs ... partially due to the Mayr Method diet plan, which cuts sugar and encourages slow eating. She's also become something of a gym rat ... working out 6 times a week.

Medina Spirit -- the thoroughbred that won the 2021 Kentucky Derby -- suddenly died on a track in Southern California on Monday.

The horse's owner, Amr Zedan, confirmed the death to Thoroughbred Daily News ... revealing it appears the colt suffered a heart attack just after a workout in Santa Anita.

The horse was just 3 years old.

Medina Spirit famously won the Kentucky Derby in May ... but, as we previously reported, it was not without controversy.

The horse tested positive for steroids following its run ... and even though Medina Spirit's legendary trainer, Bob Baffert, denied that they cheated to win -- the colt could be stripped of the victory down the road pending the results of an ongoing investigation.

Medina Spirit went on to finish in third place in the Preakness Stakes after the Derby -- but did not race in the ensuing Belmont Stakes after Baffert was suspended over doping allegations.

Yeah, it's good to be the King/Queen -- but Prime Minister's pretty badass too, especially when you're Finland's Sanna Marin out partying until the break of dawn!!!

The Finnish PM was all up in the VIP at Butcher's Nightclub in Helsinki over the weekend -- she was seen hanging with her husband and some friends at a private table. NBD, right?

Well, keep in mind Marin, at just 36 years old, is the Nordic country's youngest Prime Minister ever -- and the glamorous world leader's clearly not letting the gig hold her back from doing regular 30-somethings activities.

PM Marin reportedly stayed out until 4 AM and as you can see, neither she nor anyone else in the club was wearing a face mask ... so, they don't seem too worried about COVID-19 or the Omicron variant.

There's a good reason for that. Under PM Marin, who took over 2 years ago -- just before the pandemic -- Finland has achieved a staggering 72 percent vaccination rate! For comparison, the U.S. is still under 60 percent.

The debate over an artist's responsibility to stop their show amid an emergency in the crowd had landed at George Lopez's feet ... although this one may not be cut and dried.

The comedian was performing Friday at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, when at one point during his set ... a man started falling into distress in the upper balcony area, to the point that the house lights were turned on.

Check out this video obtained by TMZ ... it shows what we're told were a few minutes after this gentleman, who's described as mid-aged, fell unconscious with people around him -- including what appears to be folks in his own party -- attending to him.

Eventually, people flagged down event staff ... and he was carried out and taken to an ambulance. San Antonio Fire confirms he regained consciousness and was stable at the hospital.

In the meantime ... you can see and hear George down at the stage level continuing on with his set, seemingly working all the commotion into his actual jokes -- which actually got some laughs. Of course, some in the crowd felt as if he should've done a hard pause -- even more, felt it was inappropriate for him to joke about whatever was going on at all.

"Guardians of The Glades" star Dusty Crum was involved in a scary car accident down in Florida ... and things were so bad he was in serious danger of losing his right leg.

The snake hunter from the Discovery show tells TMZ ... he was riding shotgun in a truck on a Florida highway last month when a tire blew on the trailer and the driver lost control, causing the truck to fishtail before flipping 3 times.

Dusty says the crash caused severe damage to his lower right leg and knee, and he was airlifted to a hospital in the Fort Meyers area, where doctors were able to save his leg with 5 different surgical procedures.

It's pretty scary ... Dusty says his window broke when the car flipped and his leg went out the window, and got crushed by the weight of the vehicle. He says as the vehicle kept rolling he managed to pull his leg back inside.

Dusty says he thought he was going to die after the accident ... using his shirt as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding as he tried to keep himself awake waiting for paramedics from the side of the highway.

While doctors were able to save the leg, Dusty's been in the hospital for nearly 4 weeks ... and he's hopefully moving to a rehab facility in the next few days.

Dusty is not insured and will be facing a ton of medical bills, so a friend has started a GoFundMe and they are asking for people to consider buying holiday gifts from his store.