Sean Sharaf grabbed headlines after knocking out hot prospect Gable Steveson at UFC 331 in California. But instead of calling out his next opponent, the former United States Marine recited a prayer for his late father, who died under horrific circumstances while working for Disney.

In a recent conversation with Bradley Martin on the Raw Talk podcast, Sharaf opened up about his father’s tragic death. 

“He died at work,” Sharaf said. “He had a heart attack, and he fell. Ironically, it was at Disney. So Disney owns UFC. So, like, I bleed for the same company where my dad died, and it was, like, super messed up because they let him bleed out because they didn’t want to, they didn’t want to blow up the spot, basically, and have an ambulance come before the on-site doctor checked him.

“And basically, because of that, he, like, bled out on the floor because they waited till the doctor came, and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, we should probably call an ambulance.’ And then they called the ambulance, and then they came, and, um, yeah, they called me out. It was my sophomore year in school. And, um, they called me and told me, like, ‘Hey, like, you need to come to the hospital,’ and he was already dead.”     

It’s not hard to imagine that Sharaf endured a very tough time because of his father’s untimely passing. But before making this emotional admission, the UFC heavyweight hadn’t revealed much about his family. However, he had previously disclosed that his family is ethnically Palestinian and that his father migrated from Jerusalem to America.

Regarding Disney, the property holder of UFC’s former broadcast partner ESPN, the company’s website does outline certain medical emergency measures.

According to the website, its theme parks and water parks operate First Aid centers for guests or staff needing medical attention. The site also states that 24-hour medical services are available. Plus, Disney also advises calling 911 in emergency cases.

At present, it remains unclear which department Sharaf’s father worked in at Disney. However, there have been past cases of company employees suffering fatal heart attacks while on the premises. 

According to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration report published on July 14, 2022, a 64-year-old male employee had a heart attack at the Magic Kingdom Maintenance Assembly Shop while performing maintenance work on a roller coaster. The report didn’t name the man, but it states that coworkers performed CPR while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. 

Once the ambulance arrived, he was transported to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. The report also notes that the employee had a pre-existing heart condition. 

In 2019, a Disney Cruise Line employee, Maria Ana Reis Martins, sued the company, alleging she didn’t receive adequate medical treatment from the ship’s doctors after being hit by a car during a port call. Though the incident wasn’t fatal, the Brevard County jury still ordered Disney to pay her $4 million: $2 million for lost earnings, $1 million for pain and suffering, and $1 million in punitive damages.

However, Sharaf isn’t the only fighter who lost his father in a workplace tragedy. UFC lightweight Esteban Ribovics also lost his father in a workplace accident when he was just 11 years old.  

It’s undeniably tragic that Sean Sharaf had to endure such a difficult time. However, his mother is still alive, and the UFC heavyweight is determined to give her a better life.  

Sean Sharaf gifts post-fight bonus to mother who’s facing health struggles

Leading up to UFC 331, Sean Sharaf disclosed that he’s carrying $600K in outstanding debt from gambling and purchasing a costly truck. But instead of putting his $100K performance bonus toward that debt, he decided to help his 66-year-old mother, who’s currently battling serious health issues.

“I just really want to be able to help my mom, and I just want to help her retire this year,” Sharaf told Megan Olivi in a backstage interview at UFC 331. “She’s got a lot of health problems. I just want to call my mom. She’s been worrying about me, and she’s been praying so hard for me.

“She wanted to come, but the last one I was all busted up, so I was worried about her. She’s got asthma. She’s got a pacemaker. She’s got so many health problems. She has sciatica right now, and I just want to help her retire. So I’m really hoping to get a bonus. I could give that to her and help her, take some time off from work. That’d be really great.”

Sharaf clearly made a heartfelt decision in choosing to hand over his fight bonus to his mother. As it turned out, the UFC heavyweight also won a $50K Paramount+ show Mobland bonus for his performance in California. Later, Dana White matched with an additional $50K, bringing his total to $100K, which is a real financial relief for the ex-Marine at this stage.

In the end, there’s little to do but empathize with the 33-year-old and wish him well as he continues his journey in the UFC.