Tiger King star Jeff Lowe, 53, is recovering after suffering a stroke during a visit to a casino in Oklahoma on March 18.
Lowe’s wife Lauren said he was not breathing when she found him in his room at the WinStar World Casino around 3 am, according to TMZ.
Although she called 911 for help, she said, “I thought he was dying in my arms.”
Health concern: Tiger King star Jeff Lowe is recovering after suffering a stroke on March 18 at the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma, TMZ reported on Friday.
According to Lauren, the paramedics present determined that Jeff had suffered a stroke and flew him to a hospital in Denton, Texas.
In the end, it seems that his quick work was able to limit the most debilitating effects of the stroke to leave him in a strong position to recover.
He is now back home after a three-day stay in the hospital, but is having difficulties with his speech and motor functions.
His wife says doctors have not yet been able to determine the cause of her stroke, despite carrying out extensive tests.
Scary: Lowe was reportedly not breathing when his wife found him in his hotel room late at night, and paramedics determined he had a stroke.
The lack of certainty led her to think that Jeff may have been a victim of crime.
She says the couple had gone out to dinner at the casino on the night of March 17, just hours before the stroke.
A man neither of whom was supposed to have approached them and claimed not only to know them, but also to know their usual drink orders.
Although Lauren said he was a stranger to them, the principal stayed close to them as a crowd of Tiger King fans gathered to take selfies with them.
Scary: Lauren now thinks that a strange man who came to their table that night may have drugged Jeff. He claimed to know them and their favorite drinks, although he was a stranger
She says the couple now believes that the mysterious man may have added Jeff’s drink while they were busy with fans.
However, blood and urine tests were negative for common medications.
Jeff and Laura spoke to TMZ again later on Friday morning to detail their ordeal and expand their drug theory.
Laura stated that she took a sip of Jeff’s drink during the night and did not feel well afterwards.
Suspicions: Jeff allegedly ‘fell’ on the way back to the hotel, and Lauren said she felt bad after taking a sip of her drink
She also said that Jeff was beside himself during the trip back to the hotel room.
He was supposedly ‘acting bad’ once they were in the room, and when she came back after leaving briefly, she found him changing color after her heart stopped, leaving her afraid that he was dead.
Jeff was unable to remember the stroke, but added that “it is just weird” in reference to the weird man who came to their table.
Jeff is best known for his appearance in the Netflix series of real crime documents, Tiger King, which made the handler Joe Exotic a sensation.
Still unanswered: so far, blood and urine tests have not revealed any common medications or the cause of the stroke; still from Tiger King
Claim to fame: Jeff is best known for his appearance in Netflix’s series of real-life crime documents, Tiger King, which made the handler Joe Exotic a sensation; still from Tiger King
He became known as a tiger breeder and owner of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, which featured a wide variety of felines.
His career collapsed in 2019, when he was accused of 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two of attempted murder.
He was convicted and is currently serving a 22-year sentence in federal prison.
Lowe was featured in the documentary when Joe was forced to hand his zoo over to him.
Locked up: his career collapsed in 2019, when he was accused of 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two of attempted murder. He was sentenced and sentenced to 22 years in prison; still from Tiger King