A beloved ESPN figure made his return this week after major surgery to battle a rare, potentially fatal disease left him sidelined for weeks.
Dan Thomas, a host and play-by-play commentator for ESPN’s soccer programming, stepped away from the airwaves after receiving a liver transplant in October.
Thomas needed the surgery after being diagnosed with a chronic disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis.
The progressive disease occurs when inflammation and scarring narrow the bile ducts, eventually resulting in liver damage and failure – which can be deadly.
Thomas was initially placed on the transplant list on June 20 and received his new liver on October 14.
‘Great to be back,’ the soccer host wrote on X last Saturday after making his comeback to for a Premier League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Thomas initially began posting updates about his health in June after viewers reached out saying they were worried about his yellow-looking eyes.
The ESPN FC personality revealed on social media that he had first been diagnosed with the disease in 2010 but only made his condition public over the summer once he was on the liver transplant list.
ESPN soccer host Dan Thomas returned to the airwaves on November 8 after having to receive a liver transplant due to a rare disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis only affects about one in 10,000 people, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It can result in yellowing of the whites of the eyes, like what happened to Thomas. This is also called jaundice.
Thomas saw results shortly after his life-changing surgery.
‘Look at that, I’ve got white eyes – I haven’t had that for a long time,’ he said in a November 3 video posted across his social media accounts.
However, the ESPN FC host admitted that the road to recovery had also been difficult.
Thomas called the first week ‘really rough’ but said he began feeling better once he was allowed to to eat and drink.
‘Coming home, as well, makes such a difference,’ he added. ‘As great as they are in the hospital, obviously, there’s nothing like home comforts.’
Thomas admitted the first week of recovery had been ‘really rough’ but also rejoiced at how the color of his jaundiced eyes had changed
Thomas worked for Real Madrid TV before joining ESPN and hosted Cristiano Ronaldo’s presentation in 2009 (pictured) after the Spanish club signed him from Manchester United
The sports broadcaster thanked his wife Denise, who he said had ‘just been out of this world.’
‘She’s been so patient. She’s shown so much love, something that I don’t think I would be able to do if the roles were reversed,’ he said.
He added that he hoped to continue working ‘sooner rather than later’ but that he was still on immunosuppressants and needed to be cautious.
Thomas was not in-studio for his return on November 8, seemingly appearing on ESPN FC’s YouTube stream from home.
Before joining ESPN in 2010, Thomas was the lead English-speaking presenter for Real Madrid’s television channel, interviewing players such as David Beckham.
The soccer broadcaster hosted the Spanish club’s presentation of Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 following his then-world record transfer from Manchester United.
He also announced the 2010 UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.
