CONYERS, Ga. (AP) A suburban Atlanta nursing home where 22 people died from COVID-19 has been faulted by state inspectors for failing to control infections, but relatives of people who died say.
Paul The Polar Bear Varelans, an early UFC star, lost his battle with COVID-19 Saturday, passing away at the age of 51.
Varelans had been in a medically induced coma at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA, in intensive care, on and off a ventilator and dialysis since December 12th. He had posted on social that he felt really sick two days earlier. Later, after testing positive, he said he felt the worst he ever had like he was in a fight with an expert on kidney punches who was hammering him and the punches never stopped.
Billed at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds, Varelans was one of the early UFC PPV stars. A former San Jose State football player who got his nickname because he grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska, he was training with someone in martial arts when his instructor found out about UFC. However, the instructor was too small for an unlimited weight division tournament, and Varelans, with very little skill and great size, debuted at UFC 6 on July 14, 1995, in Casper, Wyoming,