Dennis James, a former Men’s Open pro, was recently hospitalized in Germany last weekend. In an Instagram post made on April 18, James revealed that a severe case of pneumonia led to his recent stay.
Competing actively throughout the 90s and 2000s, Dennis James led a successful career, having competed against the IFBB Pro League’s best. A perennial top 10 contender at the Mr. Olympia contest, James tested his talents against heavy hitters in the Open class such as Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Phil Heath.
James’ last competition saw him finish third place at the 2012 Masters Olympia show, won by Dexter Jackson. While he’s taken kindly to retirement, Dennis James keeps up with the sport, hosting a weekly YouTube show called The Menace Podcast. His show serves as an open forum where former bodybuilders and active competitors discuss current events and their respective careers.
In addition to his duties as a podcast host, James has shaped the next wave of Open talent. In preparation for the 2022 Mr. Olympia event, James helped train the former-two time winner, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay. James shared glimpses of their workouts just weeks before Ramy came up short in Las Vegas, Nevada in fifth place.
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Dennis James Hospitalized With Pneumonia Last Sunday; Bodybuilding World Reacts
While details are limited at the time of this writing, James shared that he missed his flight back home and is currently hospitalized in Germany with pneumonia. He specified that he’s received fantastic care while under the weather, as noted by his thumbs-up in the post.
“Guess I won’t be flying home tomorrow morning. Sunday night I ended up in the hospital here in Germany where I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Thank god for great hospitals and doctors.” Dennis James wrote.
Following his hospitalization, fans, and bodybuilders alike wished for the best as Dennis James aims to recover in the coming days.
This isn’t the first time a high-profile bodybuilder has suffered from pneumonia. Chris Dickerson was the sixth man to win Olympia in 1982 and later dealt with this ailment until he ultimately passed away in 2021. He was also a notable coach, commentator, and podcaster for bodybuilding.
Additionally, Golden Era bodybuilder and actor, Lou Ferrigno fell ill with pneumonia as well, which required hospitalization. However, his problems with the infection stemmed from a vaccine he received back in 2018.
RELATED: Dennis James Shares Recent Physique Update That Shows How Jacked He Still Is At 54
Despite limited information, fans and athletes are hopeful that Dennis James makes a full recovery. Fitness Volt wishes him well in 2023.
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