'He was so tough': Joe Rogan and ex-UFC fighter Mike Perry remember Michael Milmerstadt months after his death
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Joe Rogan recently interviewed former UFC fighter Mike Perry on his podcast, 'The Joe Rogan Experience'. Apart from other things he opened up about during the conversation, Perry shared with the host the tragic loss of his dear friend, Orange County Deputy Michael Milmerstadt, who died in March 2023.
Perry earlier said that he believed Milmerstadt was looking out for him and would guide him in the ring. Milmerstadt experienced excruciating headaches while sparring, which later made him dependent on life support. Tragically, as his condition deteriorated, his family was forced to make the painful decision to take off his life support.
'He was so tough'
During 'The Joe Rogan Experience' episode, Perry reflected on his friend's unexpected death. During the conversation, he said, "Terrible. And everyone knew him, he was so tough, such a tough guy." Joe Rogan agreed, saying, "It's an unpredictable thing, those kind of injuries are an unpredictable thing." "It's f**king even more to fight for though man," responded Perry. He also talked about his memories with Michael as he the deputy was one of his callouts in UFC.
Earlier when Milmerstadt died, Perry, a dear friend of the country deputy, paid his tributes by posting a eulogy on Twitter. In a part of it said, "Mike loved his family, loved his work and his colleagues, and loved Mixed Martial Arts. His dedication to all of those things made him a great husband, father, deputy and fighter."
Also, despite their deep loss, Milmerstadt's family found comfort in donating his organs and saving other lives as they believe that would have been his wish.
What happened to Milmerstadt?
In March 2023, after a training session at a gym, Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Milmerstadt "developed a severe headache which was later determined to be a serious brain injury," according to a GoFundMe set up on behalf of his family. He is survived by his wife and three children.
Police had told People that Milmerstadt was "in the hospital in critical condition," but further details about what transpired or the type of damage had not been made publicly available. They said, "We are praying for him & his small family. According to the GoFundMe, Milmerstadt had been employed by the Orange County Sheriff's Office for seven years.