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‘Star Wars’ Actor Peter Mayhew Recovering From Surgery

By Todd Rigney
Published on: 21:59 PST, Sep 11, 2013

Peter Mayhew, the man who brought the lovable wookiee Chewbacca to life in Star Wars, is recovering from surgery in Texas.

The 7-foot-3-inch actor recently underwent a double knee replacement procedure on Monday. Mayhew has been confined to a wheelchair for the past two years. The actor is hoping that the surgery will allow him to walk once again.

Peter Mayhew’s family kept fans up-to-date through a series of posts on Twitter. Thankfully, it would appear that the actor is doing well following the procedure. Now that he is in recovery, Mayhew will begin physical therapy.

“Uncle Peter just got taken back so they can start the surgery. We will keep you updated throughout the day. Thank you for your prayers!” his family explained on Twitter. His relatives also shared a picture of Mayhew’s new knee.

Once the procedure was finished, his family was quick to share the good news with fans.

“And he is DONE! Peter is out of surgery and in recovery. Now we begin therapy! I see a wookiee roaring in the future!” one relative tweeted.

According to The Associated Press, Peter Mayhew had the knee replacement surgery at Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth. The 69-year-old actor also had a “tendon-stretching procedure” designed to make his legs a little stronger. Mayhew was born with a condition known as gigantism.

Although the actor has appeared in other movies, he’s best known as Han Solo’s friend from George Lucas’ Star Wars films. His life will soon be the subject of a Kickstarter-funded documentary entitled Standing in the Stars: The Peter Mayhew Story.

You can find some of the tweets from his family below.

Everyone at The Inquisitr hopes Peter Mayhew makes a speedy recovery!

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

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