The founder of Pedigo Submission Fighting – made famous by the Daisy Fresh documentary series – Heath Pedigo has suffered a serious eye injury during a seminar.
He was rushed into emergency surgery, with more procedures expected in the near future.
Pedigo, a BJJ black belt under Rodrigo Vaghi and an MMA veteran, opened his academy in his hometown of Mount Vernon, Illinois in 2016.
In under a decade, he transformed the small-town gym into a powerhouse of elite talent, producing ADCC veterans like Jacob Couch and Michael Pixley, and cultivating a stable of rising stars who compete on the world stage.
According to a statement on a GoFundMe page set up to assist with his medical expenses, the injury occurred during a seminar at an undisclosed location:
Heath was recently teaching at a seminar when he suffered a severe eye injury that required emergency surgery. Unfortunately, he will need additional surgeries right away. If you know Heath you know he’s the last person to ever ask for help, which is exactly why we’re doing this for him. Heath has dedicated his life to Jiu Jitsu and has impacted countless lives around the world, always giving without hesitation. Now it’s our turn to give back and support him through this difficult time, just as he has supported so many of us.
The timing is particularly difficult, as Pedigo was in the midst of preparing five of his top athletes for CJI 2 later this month.
The community is now being urged to contribute or share the fundraiser to help cover medical bills and allow Pedigo to focus fully on his recovery:
If Heath has ever taught you, inspired you, coached you, or encouraged you – please consider giving back.
No donation is too small and every share helps.
Let’s come together and show Heath the same unwavering support he has always given to us.
You may visit the GoFundMe link here.
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