HGTV Star Ty Pennington Went from the Red Carpet to ICU as He 'Could Barely Breathe'

Publish date: 2024-05-17

Ty Pennington, known as a host on HGTV, recently posted a series of photos on Instagram that caught his followers' attention. The designer opened up about a health scare in his July 14, 2023 post.

The 58-year-old host rose to fame after appearing as a carpenter on the reality TV show, "Trading Spaces," where people saw his unmatchable carpentry skills and eye for good design.

Besides "Trading Spaces," Pennington appeared in ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," where he received appreciation for his hosting skills. Loved by his fans, he recently grabbed people's attention with his latest photos in a hospital room.

"From the red carpet to the ICU… this last week has been interesting!" he captioned his Instagram post, which has since garnered over 33,000 likes. He revealed that he was doing better now before updating his fans on the past week's events.

"To shed some light on why I was MIA…" Pennington continued, sharing that he attended the red carpet event for "Barbie" on Sunday, July 9, before going to Colorado the next day for a shoot. He added:

"Tuesday morning, I woke up at 4 a.m. and could barely breathe."

The carpenter shared that he couldn't breathe because of an abscess blocking his airway. What he thought was a sore throat during the last month was an abscess that grew with time. He was rushed to the ICU, underwent surgery on July 12, and stayed under observation until the following day.

After thanking the hospital staff and those who looked after him during this time, Pennington urged his followers to care for themselves. "LISTEN to your body when it's telling you something," he stated.

When Did Ty Pennington Tie the Knot?

Besides finding success as a host and designer, Pennington finally tied the knot years after meeting the person he now loves the most. He and his now-wife, Kellee Merrell, first crossed paths in 2010 but didn't share a romantic relationship back then.

It wasn't until 2020 that the couple talked to each other again and became friends. Things began escalating when they decided to quarantine together during the COVID-19 pandemic, unaware that they would soon tie the knot.

Pennington proposed to Merrell in July 2021, and the couple planned to get married in Italy. However, the travel restrictions during the pandemic made them tie the knot in an intimate ceremony in November 2021 in the backyard of their dream home, which was still under construction then.

Merrell, a Canada-based social media manager, made Pennington think about marriage when she entered his life. In an interview, he said, "I never thought I would get married. It wasn't a priority. But this incredible person came into my life, and I just knew I couldn't let her go."

When asked about his life after marriage, the host said it was "amazing." Although he had never exclusively planned to get married, tying the knot made him believe he had made a good decision. He loves Merrell dearly and often posts photos of her on Instagram.

What Is Ty Pennington Doing Now?

Pennington, who has a passion for design, spends his time designing interiors and often shares the final results with his followers on Instagram. Besides work, he spends time with his wife and shares snippets from their special days on social media.

In October 2022, the designer celebrated his 58th birthday with his wife in Aspen, Colorado. He posted highlights from his big day on Instagram while thanking his followers for the birthday wishes.

After having a delicious meal, the couple spent time in nature surrounded by mountains and woods. On their fishing adventure, Pennington posed with Merrell wearing matching waders and shared photos of the beautiful scenery around them.

The designer loves traveling and often shares photos and videos from his trips. In one of the clips he shared on Instagram, he was seen walking on a paved path surrounded by bushes and trees. He captioned the post:

"Dreaming of summer travel ✈️ Are you traveling anywhere this summer?"

Through his Instagram posts, Ty Pennington keeps his over 255,000 followers updated with what's happening in his life, sharing photos of his interior designing adventures, family, and travels.

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