Tanea Brooks, known to wrestling fans as Rebel in TNA/Impact Wrestling and AEW, shared a difficult health update on her Instagram account. In an emotional video, Brooks detailed her lengthy medical journey that has led to a serious diagnosis.
Brooks noted that her health issues began in May 2024, when she was hospitalized for what doctors initially believed was cryptococcal pneumonia, which she described as fungal masses on her lungs. However, after a full year of treatment with antifungals, her condition was not improving.
The Misdiagnosis
During that year-long period, Brooks also dealt with several other complications, including infections, ruptures, and tumors. After not getting better, she decided to seek treatment from the Mayo Clinic.
It was there that she finally received a correct diagnosis. “And they found that it was not cryptococcal pneumonia this whole time and that it is primary pulmonary lymphoma, which is cancer in the lungs, and if there is a best-case scenario, then I have it”.
Battling a Neurological Disorder
Along with the cancer diagnosis, Brooks revealed she is also suffering from a separate condition that has severely impacted her mobility and speech. “Along this tumultuous journey, I have picked up a little disorder called functional neurological disorder, and it has taken my ability to walk. I now walk with a walker”.
She elaborated on the effects of the disorder: “And my ability to speak clearly, I don’t know if you could tell, but sounds like I bit my tongue, and I’ve also lost the ability, or some ability, plus a function, I guess I should say, of my right hand, and I kind of have like a claw hand, and so it’s hard for me to use my right, my dominant hand”.
The Path Forward
Brooks noted that she is starting an aggressive, full-time rehabilitation program for the functional neurological disorder. Before she can begin treatment for the lymphoma, she must first overcome another hurdle. “I have a very serious infection right now, so I’m on IV antibiotics, and I have to clear this infection first before I can address the cancer”.
Once the infection is cleared, hopefully in December, she will undergo more tests to finalize a treatment plan. “I will go in for a third bronchoscopy to determine what kind of treatment I’ll be having, chemo, radiation… and then we’ll start there, and then we’ll kick its ass. Okay? So I’m hoping that we’ll start around the first of… 2026”.
Brooks is best known to AEW fans as the assistant to Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D.. She also had a multi-year run with TNA/Impact Wrestling, where she was a member of The Menagerie and The Dollhouse.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Rebel’s Instagram with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can follow her Instagram account @rebeltan
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