Jet Li On His Last Leg

The body snatchers have finally come for Jet Li. He’s been cloned and replaced with an elderly monk. Or that’s at least what him losing his battle with hyperthyroidism makes it look like. The same man kicking ass and taking names later in Cradle 2 the Grave and every other mainstream kung fu underworld movie with a hip hop sound track looks like he’s around the corner from visiting the grave. Massive amounts of faux sympathy on social media ensued after a current photograph of Jet went viral.

A shocking new photo of Jet Li shows the drastic toll physical ailments have taken on the martial arts legend’s body.

The 55-year-old Lethal Weapon actor revealed in 2013 that he was battling hyperthyroidism—a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine.

Hyperthyroidism can lead to a myriad of health issues including sudden weight loss and rapid heartbeat. At the time, Li said his doctor told him he could “either continue making [action] films or spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

If we’re looking at the cup half full, Li looks to be enlightened. Partially because he literally looks like Buddha minus the obesity and partially because he’s smiling for every photo. Even after aging worse than Mary Kate and Ashley. Maybe a pray for Jet Li hashtag will be of some help. Or maybe it won’t because those hashtags are really just a way to make someone else’s problem about yourself. Jet may not be getting anymore roles along side DMX for sequels because doing a martial arts backflip in his current condition would definitely break a hip but when they decide to remake Karate Kid once again he should be frontrunner for the Mr. Miyagi role.

Photo Credit: Instagram