Sports broadcaster and former Bear Mike Adamle is ready to explain the reason for his nearly yearlong absence from the airwaves in an interview with NBC colleague Peggy Kusinski that airs on the 10 p.m. news Tuesday and Wednesday on WMAQ-Ch. 5.
A story on the network’s website said Adamle would "bring awareness to a condition that many athletes may suffer from later in life." He has been off the air since March 13.
“It shook my world and it just got kind of a little bit worse sometimes every day,” Adamle, 67, said via nbcchicago.com.
In a video trailer that appeared on Facebook, Kusinski asks Adamle how difficult it has been coping with the unspecified medical battle the way he has faced other "physical challenges" from his playing days.
"The only way that I can extend my life and be around to see my daughters get married, you know, have a happily-ever-after with your wife — I want to be able to do that — the only way I can do that is to stay active," Adamle says in the video.
The former running back played in the NFL for six years, including the 1975 and ’76 seasons with the Bears. The Chiefs drafted him out of Northwestern in 1971. Adamle launched his broadcast career with NBC Sports in 1977, has held a variety of local and national TV roles and has been back at NBC-5 since 2004.
Media columnist Robert Feder reported last year that Adamle was dealing with reactions to medication for epileptic seizures, citing sources.
Adamle saw an outpouring of support Tuesday on social media. Broadcast legend Chet Coppock posted on Facebook, "my prayers go out to mike adamle….i’ve known this man’s man for almost 40 years…. tonight on channel 5 mike will discuss the medical issues that have plagued him…i know what to expect. #PrayforMike"
"My guy!" Laurence Holmes, a WSCR-AM 670 radio host and NBC5 contributor, wrote on Facebook. "And I’m glad he feels comfortable enough to talk about what’s going on with him…"
On NBC’s site, Adamle said he’s "no hero" but "there’s a lot of us out here and there’s a lot you can do to mitigate some of these things."
plthompson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_phil_thompson
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