Rick Ross’s journey from an ordinary boy to becoming the richest rapper of all time surprised fans

The actress told PEOPLE, “My life is really like a movie,” after her collaboration on Neil Martinez-Belkin’s gripping autobiography. Some of the photos are graphic, ranging from his terrifying recollection of a drive-by gunshot to his 2018 seizure that required four days in the hospital.

In his book, 43-year-old Ross acknowledges using codeine as a cough and pain reliever. The rapper suffered from terrible seizures, the worst of which happened last year, as a result of extensive usage of that narcotic, alcohol, and other drugs.

The rapper, who is no longer on codeine and leads a healthy lifestyle, talks about the terrible things that happened at home with his entourage on the day of his most severe seizure in an exclusive PEOPLE excerpt.

The day prior, I had a bad cold and cough. During the day, I took Vicks VapoRub and DayQuil. I had a seizure around bedtime that night. But my regular reaction wasn’t there. My breathing was labored. At three in the morning, my partner went downstairs and told Tomcat I had s— and was foaming.

After a few minutes, I stood up. I took a shower to clean myself and gather my thoughts since I was still having trouble breathing. Tomcat ordered the arriving police and paramedics away. I’d already done this. To be honest, yes. But in the shower, I started coughing up blood. It had never happened before.

Tomcat suggested that I visit the hospital. I was taken to the closest one by Short Legs, and the doctors there determined that I had aspiration pneumonia. During the seizure, I got an infection from something in my lungs. put on a breathing machine and sedated.

I was admitted to the hospital for a similar reason a year before. Although we never revealed anything, it was rather serious. In April, when I accepted my plea deal, I hit the road hard. As usual, my immune system and sleep were compromised by heavy driving. You already know what happened next. I had a seizure on the way back from Europe. I spent a week in the hospital.

This time, doctors were more concerned. I just got back from performing in Nairobi, Kenya. If I carried a virus from Africa, they intended to imprison me.

As usual, my mother took command at the hospital. She took me to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where they tube-flushed my lungs and gave me medication, since she didn’t think this institution would treat me properly. I was never on ECMO, despite what TMZ said.

Ross feels fortunate to be alive. The glitzy star doesn’t think less of himself, even if he gave up soda, ate more vegetables, and slept more.

“I still think that life is meant to be enjoyed and lived,” says Ross, who shed 75 pounds after his health scare. “It’s not fast, but I can see improvement.”

In an effort to inspire young people in At-Risk to pursue their dreams, Ross says he is being open about the highs and lows of his life in Hurricanes.

Ross, who grew up in the tough Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, says, “As a kid, nobody ever came to me to say, ‘Man, you don’t know your multiplication but you could still become richer than anybody who ever went to this school.”

“I’m going to share that with a few kids,” the father of four said. “Even if you were up in a community where death rates were high, you have a lot of alternatives. Being an author is one choice. That is the subject of this book.

Rick Ross and Neil Martinez-Belkin’s Hurricanes will be available on Amazon.com and in bookshops on Tuesday.

A year before, I was hospitalized for something similar. We never disclosed anything, but it was severe. After accepting my plea agreement in April, I Һit the road hard. As usual, hard driving hampered my sleep and immune system. You can predict what occurred next. I suffered a seizure on my journey home from Europe. I was hospitalized for a week.

Doctors were more worried this time. I recently returned from playing in Nairobi, Kenya. In case I brought a vιrus from Africa, they wаnted to confine me.

My mother took charge at the hospital as usual. Because she didn’t trust this facility to treat me well, she sent me to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where they tube-flushed my lungs and gave me medicines. TMZ said I was on ECMO, but it was never that severe.

Ross considers himself blessed to live. Despite cutting out sodas, eating more veggies, and getting more rest, the glamorous celebrity doesn’t consider himself as less fabulous.

“I still believe in enjoying and living life,” says Ross, who lost 75 pounds following his health scаre. “It’s slow, but I see my progress.”

Ross says he’s being honest about his life’s ups and downs in Hurricanes to encourage at-rιsk youngsters to aspire like he did.

“As a kid, nobody ever came to me to sаy, ‘Man, you don’t know your multiplication but you could still become richer than anybody who ever went to this school,’” recalls Ross, who grew up in Miami Gardens’ harsh Carol City area.