“The Fridge” is in for repairs

The Fridge is an icon in Chicago sports, making the gap tooth hip long before Michael Strahan got on the scene. That’s why it’s a hard day for every Chicago sports fan to hear that William Perry has been hospitalized in South Carolina and is in serious condition.

Only 46-years old Perry was diagnosed last year with Guillain-Barré syndrome – a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves – and spent five months in the hospital recovering; now a flare up has him back. The cause is unknown and there is no cure, but treatments can elevate symptoms and shorten the length of the disease which most patients recover from.

A larger than life figure in many ways during his rookie season and 10 year NFL career, Perry had slipped off the radar screen after football. There was the occasional eating contest, Ultimate fighting exhibition, commercials and even a Sports Illustrated cover about his life working in construction. But on the whole “The Fridge” was enjoying a quiet retirement out in the garage.

The best news is that Perry is expected to make a full recovery and that the disease isn’t fatal. He should be around for many ’85 Bear reunions to come.

So pop in that Super Bowl XX tape or DVD, throw on the Super Bowl shuffle, and take a trip down memory lane with a man who captured Chicago’s imagination like few others. Then send your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery so we can see that gappy smile on the shores of Lake Michigan again.