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1994: William Besse drives towards victory on the Lauberhorn.
Marcel W. Perrenski reporter
The encounter with William Besse last summer even hit the otherwise hardened Kitzbühel hero Daniel Mahrer (Hahnenkamm winner 1989) badly. «As a racing driver, Willy was a fearless go-getter. But then he suddenly stood before me like misery personified. I hardly recognized him that day because this once strong downhill skier was so emaciated. Willy still weighed almost 70 kilos and was already completely exhausted in broad daylight. Just awful!”
The Valais Besse used this opportunity to explain to his long-standing teammate from Graubünden that he would soon need a new liver. Mahrer says he was also shocked by this admission “because a lot of liver damage can be attributed to excessive alcohol consumption”. In the case of Besse, however, it was immediately clear to him that this could not be the reason. “While I, as the son of a brewer, liked to drink a beer, Besse only toasted with us at a very special celebration.”
Serious lifestyle
In fact, Besse, who celebrated the greatest success of his career with the triumph on the Lauberhorn in 1994, continued his serious lifestyle even after his retirement in 1999. In 2008, the man from the Val des Bagnes received bad news from his family doctor. “I actually felt really good back then. Because I had just celebrated my 40th birthday, the time had come for me to have an intensive medical check-up. And that’s when an autoimmune liver disease was discovered,” says Besse.
In the first years after the diagnosis, the four-time World Cup winner was able to cope with his everyday life without any major problems and, among other things, worked as a ski expert for French television. But from 2020 the condition of the now 54-year-old deteriorated dramatically. “The biggest problem for me was really tiredness. When I got up in the morning, it didn’t take long for my battery to be completely empty.”
In the Advent season there was a new liver
That’s why there was only one way out for the father of two – a donor liver. And he received it on December 13th. And the night before this operation, it once again proved true that this William Besse is a particularly cool fellow. “I wasn’t afraid of this transplant at all because I trusted the doctors, who explained everything to me in detail beforehand. That’s why it was almost a normal day for me.”
Although the surgery is described as a success by the doctors, the everyday life of the junior world champion from 1986 is of course anything but normal. For the photo shoot with “Le Nouvelliste”, Besse posed with two boxes full of medicines. «I have to swallow a lot of pills every day and work very carefully for the next three months. I can currently lift a maximum of three kilos per arm. And I’m only allowed to move slowly at the moment.”
Based on the prognosis of his doctors, Besse finds it fairly easy to deal with the current situation. “If nothing unforeseen comes up in the next few months, I’ll be able to do everything I did before I fell ill.” The cousin of alpine all-rounder Justin Murisier also gains strength and motivation from the stories of some of his fellow sufferers. “I’ve met a few people who have been living with a donor organ for many years and are in great shape. I can therefore have good hopes that I too will grow old.”
All the best, William Besse.
Attention ski fans! Now quiz and type races
The 2022/2023 ski season is coming up and with it the “Blick Ski Trophy”: answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!
The 2022/2023 ski season is coming up and with it the “Blick Ski Trophy”: answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!