Serena Deeb has been through a ‘really scary’ time (Picture: AEW)

Former WWE star Serena Deeb has opened up on her terrifying health scare after being kept out of action for over a year.

The 37-year-old wrestler, who currently works for Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling (AEW), hasn’t been seen on shows since October 2022, and now she has revealed the shocking reason behind her lengthy absence.

‘Since last October, I’ve had a series of three unprovoked seizures. This has been a really dramatic time period for me and has affected my career and life,’ she said in an Instagram video.

‘In a lot of ways, it’s been really scary for me. I’ve seen a lot of different doctors and had every test imaginable. For the longest time, nobody could tell me why this happened.

‘Being out of the ring has been really challenging for me. I love professional wrestling with everything in me and I miss performing and wrestling.’

Although she consciously kept her situation ‘very private’, she has been inspired to share her story after reading more into seizures and discovering ‘how much more common’ they can be.

Serena was part of the Straight Edge Society with CM Punk and Luke Gallows (Picture: WWE)

‘I never realised how many more people experience seizures. I have so much empathy,’ she added.

‘I know how scary it is and I just want to send a message that you’re not alone and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I want to encourage you.’

Serena can’t wait to be back in the ring (Picture: AEW)

Another reason for her public update is that Serena has officially been ‘cleared to wrestle’ again by her doctor, and she’s looking forward to her comeback.

‘A big reason why I wanted to talk to you today is because I do have some news. It’s good news, it’s great news,’ she said. ‘I saw my neurologist recently and he told me that I’ve recovered, I’m healthy, and I am officially cleared to wrestle. That means I’m ready to return.

‘Hopefully, the next time you guys see me, I’ll be in the ring doing what I do best. I can’t wait to wrestle and can’t wait to show you what the Professor, what Serena Deeb is made of.’

After successful runs with Ohio Valley Wrestling and Shimmer Women Athletes, Serena joined WWE in 2009 and debuted on SmackDown the following year for a stint in CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society.

After returning to Shimmer and the independent circuit, she retired in 2015 before becoming a coach for WWE from 2018 until her release in 2020, soon after joining AEW as an active star and even winning the NWA World Women’s Title during this time.

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