Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Tiger King star Jeff Lowe suffers stroke, suspects foul play

After three days in the hospital, Lowe is now back at home recovering

Rachel Brodsky
Los Angeles
Friday 26 March 2021 19:37 GMT
Comments
Netflix announces new Tiger King aftershow

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Jeff Lowe, star of Netflix's hit series Tiger King, is recovering from a stroke that left him unresponsive in an Oklahoma casino.

Speaking to TMZ, Lowe's wife, Lauren Lowe, says she found Lowe on 18 March at WinStar Casino where they were staying. Lowe was then airlifted to a hospital in Denton, Texas. “I thought he was dying in my arms,” she told TMZ.

She also stated that the couple suspected someone of spiking Lowe’s drink, allegedly causing the stroke.

According to Lauren's account, doctors ran tests on Lowe but could not determine what caused the stroke.

On 17 March, she says, she and Lowe were out to dinner when a stranger approached them and claimed to know them and their favorite drink orders. She suspects that Lowe's drink was spiked by this person when the couple paused to take selfies with a group of Tiger King fans.

The incident has not, as of now, been reported to authorities.

After spending three days in the hospital, Lowe is now back at home recovering, though he is still having trouble with speech and coordination.

Last November, Lowe was accused of inhumane treatment and improper handling of endangered species of animals.

According to a civil complaint filed on Thursday 19 November, Lowe and Lauren were accused of violating the Endangered Species Act by “by illegally taking, possessing, and transporting protected animals," a Justice Department statement said.

The couple was also accused of violating the Animal Welfare Act ”by exhibiting without a license and placing the health of animals in serious danger”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in