Tarek El Moussa, the real estate expert who co-hosts HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” with his wife, Christina, has credited an eagle-eyed fan for saving his life.
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According to the Independent, Ryan Read, a registered nurse, was watching an episode of the show when she noticed a nodule on Tarek’s thyroid.
Read said she immediately got “that gut feeling” but was initially hesitant to pen an email because she didn’t want to sound “like a insane fan”. Still, the email from Ryan prompted him to get a second opinion.
A registered nurse was watching a marathon of the show when she saw the troubling image come on in an episode.
As reported by Fox 8 on November 23, “The cohost of HGTV series ‘Flip or Flop, ‘ Tarek El Moussa, has been battling thyroid cancer since 2013″.
And not a moment too soon – after undergoing surgery to remove the lump, El Moussa was told he had thyroid cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes. Now, after years of treatment, Tarek’s cancer is in remission, and he and Christina welcomed their second child earlier this year.
So don’t let anyone tell you that watching TV isn’t healthy – you just might save someone’s life!
El Moussa, 34, is in remission, but he spoke to People about the effects of going through cancer.
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“It was just such an incredible experience to meet this person, because she stepped up and did what others probably wouldn’t have done”, El Moussa said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “I have slowed down quite a bit”. But as El Moussa says, “The last three years have been a pretty big challenge”. “Which is actually a good thing because I can actually relax now”. “And by the time that I would’ve found out, it probably would’ve been in a much further stage”.
