WASHINGTON — Actor Ashton Kutcher is opening up about a frightening medical situation that left him unable to see, hear or walk.
During an appearance on National Geographic's "Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge," the "That 70s Show" star explained that a couple years ago he was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder.
"Like two years ago I had this weird, super rare form of vasculitis, that like knocked out my vision, it knocked out my hearing, it knocked out like all my equilibrium," Kutcher explained in a clip of the show shared online by Access Hollywood.
According to the Mayo Clinic, vasculitis involves inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation can lead to restricted blood flow, which can lead to organ and tissue damage.
Kutcher went on to explain that it took him about a year to build everything back to where it was.
"You don't really appreciate it until it's gone," Kutcher described. "Until you go, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to see again, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to hear again, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to walk again."
He added that he feels "lucky to be alive."
"Running Wild" features survivalist Bear Grylls taking Hollywood celebrities with him into "some of the most extreme environments in the world."
During the clip, Grylls reflected on Ashton's ordeal and said that the frightening journey is one of the reasons why the actor is so "strong and resilient."
Back in March, Kutcher and wife Mila Kunis announced they had surpassed a $30 million fundraising goal to support Ukrainian refugees. The celebrity couple have been married since 2015 and co-starred together on "That 70's Show." They recently confirmed they'd be returning for the upcoming Netflix spinoff, "That '90s Show."
