Sonny Bill Williams faces spinal abscess emergency surgery

Sonny Bill Williams says a procedure on his neck went wrong after a wound developed an infection that became dangerous because it sat close to his spinal cord, forcing him back into emergency surgery within the week. His wife Alana says the second operation wa

Sonny Bill Williams woke up with fever and vomiting a few days after surgery to fix a problem in his neck—only to find pus coming from his wound.

The former NRL star and All Black says that infection, in a spot close to his spinal cord, quickly turned his recovery into an emergency. After the initial operation about a week ago, he was taken back into the operating theatre when an abscess on his spinal cord made him “gravely ill.”

Williams posted his update to his followers on Instagram on Sunday night. He described how the infection began after the surgery itself, saying he had to rush to hospital. “Went up to the emergency ward. been there for a couple of days now. ” he wrote. adding that the danger was the proximity of the infection to the spinal cord.

In the comments, his wife Alana provided more detail. She wrote that Williams had to undergo a second surgery within the week “to clean out the infection and abscess sitting on his spinal cord.” Her message said: “All went well and recovering slowly. ” alongside her wish that things continue to improve.

For Williams, the medical ordeal has also reshaped the emotional weight of what happens next. Speaking in the same update, he drew a stark comparison with others he encountered in hospital. He told his followers about sitting next to a woman who had just finished chemotherapy and had returned because more cancerous cells were found. He also described a man in the ward “literally crying because of the pain he was in. ” adding that staff could not give him the pain relief he needed.

Williams’ health battle. he said. has brought a kind of perspective that extends beyond his own diagnosis and into his household. “Being here in this space… it has just made my problems— not just in here with my health. but outside in my household. ” he said. “It’s made me so grateful for all of the challenges, because they’re all blessings.”.

Before this round of emergency care. Williams said he believed he was heading into what he described as the fourth operation to correct problems in his neck. He has previously spoken about suffering a bulging disc during his playing days and undergoing a foraminotomy. a procedure that removes bone from the spine to alleviate pressure on nerves. He also referenced a past instance where bone had been removed from his spine.

During his earlier time in hospital. Williams used his platform to warn young athletes not to assume support will be waiting after retirement. “Please remember this. I ain’t got no one here paying my bills from back in the days. no organisations. no CEOs ringing me making sure I’m OK. ” he said. He described the high-performance world as one where losing form can mean losing everything. telling followers: “In high-performance space. if you’re not performing. what will happen?. See you later with a handshake.”.

Even with the fear and uncertainty of emergency treatment now behind him, he insisted he would not turn away from the path that led him to sport in the first place. “I would never change my path as a sportsman because it brought me so much joy,” Williams said.

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