It’s been a long road to recovery for Ryan Sutter.
On Tuesday, the firefighter and former “Bachelorette” star shared a positive update after undergoing two surgeries on his left ankle and right knee.
READ MORE: Ryan Sutter Shares Photo Of Huge Scar After Undergoing Knee Surgery
“I took a walk today. After two major surgeries and nearly six months, yesterday was my first day back in the firehouse,” Sutter wrote on Instagram. “So I walked and I reflected.”
“It was a good day back on the job,” Sutter continued. “At one point a wide eyed young boy and his parents stopped by to see the firetruck. At another, a young adult purposefully spit on our engine as he drove by on his scooter. We were stopped at an intersection after returning from a car accident and apparently he doesn’t like firefighters?”
The former football player went on, “Both instances made me proud of what we do. This job isn’t easy – not these days and not in this climate. But it’s a tremendous opportunity, an opportunity to be challenged, to be humbled and to be taught that, despite our differences, we are all humans in this life – together in at least that much.”
Sutter described some of the ways his job as a firefighter helps to connect with people in the community in positive ways.
“So we get to meet, inspire and render speechless young children (and sometimes their parents too). We also get to respond repeatedly to people who need help – for any reason and at any time – even if they just spit on our fire engine from their scooter. What a job! It’s great to be back…” he wrote. “Still the #bestjobever.”
READ MORE: Ryan Sutter Reveals Lyme Disease Diagnosis With Mold Toxicity
The reality star has had a number of health issues over the last year. Along with the surgeries, Sutter also revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease, triggered by mould toxins.
“It seems to be that what happened is that my immune system was weakened through exposures to toxins and especially to mould,” he said on the “Better Etc.” podcast at the time. “There are other people in the fire academy that probably had the same exposures who aren’t dealing with these exposures because their genetics are stronger, they’re able to get rid of the toxins easier.”
