Mexican actor Manuel Masalva, best known for his role in 'Narcos: Mexico,' has reappeared on social media with an emotional update after spending 105 days in a Dubai hospital, including weeks in a medically induced coma. His message marks the first time fans have heard directly from him since news of his life-threatening illness broke in March.
Masalva fell seriously ill shortly after arriving in Dubai on March 18, following a vacation in the Philippines. According to statements from his management and family, he experienced severe abdominal pain just two days after landing in the UAE. On March 26, he underwent emergency surgery. The next day, he was placed in a medically induced coma after a bacterial infection spread rapidly, attacking his lungs and other organs.
The nature of the infection was not initially disclosed, but family and friends confirmed it was a rare and aggressive bacteria. The infection severely compromised his breathing, and he required mechanical ventilation. Doctors in Dubai worked around the clock to stabilize his condition and adjust his antibiotic treatment as they identified the organism responsible.
Back in Mexico, colleagues and fans mobilized to support the 30-something-year-old actor. A GoFundMe campaign launched in April raised over one million pesos in just a few days to help cover the mounting hospital expenses. Mexican celebrities organized a benefit performance of the play Tengo que Morir Todas las Noches in which Masalva had previously starred, donating all proceeds to his recovery fund.
By May, there were signs of hope. His representatives confirmed that he had opened his eyes, responded to familiar voices, and was breathing more independently. He was moved out of intensive care and began a slow but steady rehabilitation process, including physical therapy.
Now, after more than three months in the hospital, Masalva has shared a deeply spiritual message with his followers. While he did not disclose whether he is fully out of the hospital, his words suggest ongoing treatment and a deep sense of renewal. "I am healing... This is just the beginning, there's still a long way to go, but I feel blessed, strong, reborn, and accompanied," he wrote in Spanish. "God has given us a new opportunity at life. God has given me a new life."
He continued: "105 days today, but I am awake and light has been pouring in since. 81 days until I could breathe outside air again, from the flow of thousands of people entering and leaving this magnificent hospital—what a place—I've been reborn, here, in another culture that has surpassed us in love and spirituality."
Masalva's comments appear to reference the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, known for its state-of-the-art critical care unit and international patient program. While unconfirmed, several media outlets suggest he is being treated at this facility due to the advanced infection control protocols it offers.
The actor rose to fame playing Ramón Arellano Félix in Narcos: Mexico, and has also appeared in telenovelas like Mi Corazón Es Tuyo and La Rosa de Guadalupe. Before his illness, he had just wrapped filming on The Gringo Hunters, a Mexico-US co-production set to premiere this july 9 on Netflix.
While Masalva remains abroad, the tone of his message suggests he is slowly regaining strength. His fans across Latin America and the U.S. have flooded social media with supportive messages, applauding his resilience and calling his recovery a miracle.
His agency has not announced a timeline for his return to Mexico, but the actor's final words hint at his determination to keep fighting: "This is just the beginning."
Originally published on Enstarz
