'Our hero': UFC legend Mark Coleman recovering after rescuing both parents from 'horrible' house fire

UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman called himself "the happiest man in the world" earlier this week after he managed to rescue both of his parents from a "horrible" fire that destroyed their home and claimed the life of their beloved dog, Hammer.

In the wee hours of the morning, Coleman and his parents were sleeping at home in Fremont, Ohio, when Coleman suddenly awoke, reportedly because of Hammer's incessant barking. Coleman immediately knew something was desperately wrong.

"I got out of my room and went to the door," he later recalled through tears, "and it was already horrible. I couldn't breathe. I almost had to go outside."

A fire was raging in the house, endangering everyone inside. Seemingly on instinct, Coleman raced in and picked up his parents, one by one, and carried them outside to safety.

"I can't believe my parents are alive!" he said from his hospital bed, still weeping with joy and hugging his young daughters, Kenzie and Morgan.

According to an Instagram post from Morgan, Coleman had to be "life-flighted to the hospital" where he then "battl[ed] for his life." Thankfully, he is recovering and breathing on his own, a Facebook video shows. "God is good. Miracles do happen," read a message accompanying the post.

Though the family is celebrating that Coleman and his parents are alive, they are also grieving the loss of Hammer, who perished in the fire. "I couldn't find Hammer!" Coleman wept.

"We will miss our sweet hammer so deeply," Morgan added in her post.

Coleman, who still maintains his muscular physique, has been an athlete his entire adult life. He won a national championship in wrestling at Ohio State in 1988 and then went on to compete in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Afterward, he spent some time competing as an amateur MMA fighter before joining UFC. He won his first heavyweight title in 1997 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008.

"Our father has always been our hero and means the world to us," Morgan said. "He is and always will be a fighter."

"The strongest [and] bravest man I know."

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