Jon Kunneman discusses how type 1 diabetes has shaped his life and MMA ambitions

Jon Kunneman’s life changed dramatically on his 11th birthday when his mother, concerned by a fruity smell on his breath, brought him to a hospital that measured his blood-sugar at 576 mg/DL and diagnosed him with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that destroys insulin-producing cells. The young athlete recalls frequent weakness, excessive thirst, and a fainting episode that initially was blamed on heat. He endured teasing at school for taking insulin shots and faced misunderstanding about the disease’s causes.

Observing his grandfather’s decline from diabetes complications intensified his anxiety about his own health. Kunneman estimates he has administered tens of thousands of insulin injections over the years, a burden he now openly discusses while training for a mixed-martial-arts career.