In the year 2000, actor Mark Ruffalo had a vivid dream where he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Unfortunately, this dream turned out to be a premonition, as the 56-year-old actor later received an actual diagnosis of a brain tumor. Ruffalo shared this experience on the Smartless podcast, discussing the impact of the diagnosis on himself and his family.

Ruffalo explained that the dream occurred after the success of the film “You Can Count on Me.” In the dream, he received a direct message that he had a brain tumor and needed to deal with it immediately, creating a strong sense of impending doom. Following the dream, Ruffalo consulted a doctor and underwent a scan, discovering a golf ball-sized mass in his brain.

Fortunately, the tumor was benign and operable, although the surgery carried risks, including a 70 percent chance of hearing loss in his left ear. Ruffalo also faced the possibility of damaging the nerve on the left side of his face, which could result in paralysis. Despite these risks, the actor decided to proceed with the surgery.

The challenge for Ruffalo was breaking the news to his wife, Sunrise Coigney. He waited until after she had given birth to their first child, Keen, to share the diagnosis. Coigney initially thought he was joking, but upon realizing the truth, she burst into tears, expressing her fear that he would die young.

Following the surgery, Ruffalo woke up to find the left side of his face paralyzed. Although the movement eventually recovered, he lost complete hearing in his left ear. Despite this, Ruffalo considers it a small price to pay, as he was able to keep his face and continue being a father to his children. The actor shared his story to highlight the importance of health and the unpredictable nature of life.