From Fitness Coach to Lung Transplant Survivor: The Inspiring Comeback of Russell Colunga
Before illness changed his world, Russell Colunga lived the kind of active lifestyle most people only dream of. He worked full-time at San Francisco State University while teaching twelve fitness classes a week. His days began at 6 a.m. with a spin class and often ended with another workout session in the evening.
“That was my perfect life,” he recalls. “I absolutely loved it.”
But hidden beneath his high-energy routine, something serious was developing — something that would eventually lead him to a life-saving lung transplant.
The First Signs Something Was Wrong
Looking back, Russell realizes his earliest symptoms were easy to ignore. Extreme fatigue became a daily battle. He couldn’t finish a day without taking a nap. Climbing the 34 steps to his front door became a struggle.
He also developed a chronic cough and experienced dramatic weight loss.
“I guess I was in denial,” he admits. “I pushed through it because that’s what I’d always done.”
When his primary physician finally diagnosed him with restrictive lung disease, he was referred to UCSF — a referral that would ultimately save his life.
Receiving a Life-Changing Diagnosis
In January 2011, Russell visited UCSF for the first time and immediately felt confidence in the team.
“They were the best of the best,” he says. “You just knew you were in the right hands.”
There, he received the diagnosis: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) — a progressive disease with no cure. Doctors made it clear that a lung transplant was his best chance of survival.
From that day on, Russell focused on doing everything necessary to qualify for the transplant list.
Declining Health and the Long Wait
Even as his symptoms worsened, Russell continued teaching fitness classes. By March 2011, he was still leading ten classes a week, even though his fingers turned blue from lack of oxygen.
By May, he could no longer keep up with the physical demands of teaching. In July, he was officially placed on the lung transplant waiting list.
Just ten days later, the call came. A donor was found.
“Can You Be Here in an Hour?”
Russell remembers the moment vividly — the mixture of fear, excitement and disbelief.
“The coordinator just asked, ‘Can you be at the hospital in an hour?’ Of course I said yes.”
A close friend drove him and his partner straight to UCSF. He recalls his partner anxiously telling the receptionist:
“He’s here for the lungs! He’s here for the lungs!”
The First Breath of a New Life
After surgery, Russell woke to see his sister, partner, and anesthesiologist at his bedside. His anesthesiologist joked with him, encouraging him to speak.
“I took my first deep breath and said, ‘You are,’” Russell laughs.
“It felt incredible to breathe again.”
Recovery: Walking Within 48 Hours
Russell praises everyone involved in his care — doctors, nurses, staff and respiratory therapists who encouraged him every step of the way.
Within only two days of his transplant, nurses helped him walk three full laps around the critical care unit. By the time he was discharged nine days later, he had walked more than half a mile inside the hospital.
He also formed a strong bond with his surgeon, Dr. Kukreja.
“She was phenomenal — skilled, kind, and always present. I cried when I saw her weeks later and thanked her for saving my life.”
Life Today: Back to Fitness and Loving It
Russell’s recovery exceeded even his own expectations.
“I forget I even had a transplant sometimes,” he says. “I feel fantastic.”
Now, he’s back at the gym five days a week and once again leading several fitness classes, including spin and step aerobics. He takes careful precautions to avoid infections, but nothing holds him back from the life he loves.
“I never imagined I’d return to teaching — but here I am. I’m incredibly fortunate.”
Advice for Future Transplant Patients
Russell often shares advice with others preparing for a transplant:
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Stay as active as possible. The strength you build beforehand will help your recovery.
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Connect with other patients. Support groups and talking with others who’ve been through the experience makes a huge difference.
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Focus on hope. Healing is possible — and life after transplant can be full and vibrant.
A Second Chance He Never Expected
What surprised Russell the most?
How strong and vibrant life felt afterward.
“I never thought my recovery would be this good,” he says. “I feel like I’m living a miracle.”
For someone who once struggled to climb a flight of stairs, leading fitness classes again is more than a comeback — it’s a celebration of a second chance at life.
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