Ashton Kutcher made his first public appearance on Monday after disclosing he had been battling a rare autoimmune ailment that had rendered him deaf.  After being diagnosed with vasculitis, Ashton Kutcher said he is “fortunate to be alive.”

Ashton Kutcher’s wife, Mila Kunis, stood beside him during the presentation. The actor smiled as he joined Mila at Ping Pong 4 Purpose, a charity event held in Los Angeles.Ashton Kutcher discussed his experience with vasculitis, a debilitating ailment characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels. The artery walls thicken, and the route narrows, limiting blood flow to organs and tissues. Kutcher stated that the symptoms were so bad that he was forced to leave his position on the television show “The Jobs.”

He stated in the video posted by Access Hollywood that he suffered an extremely rare form of vasculitis two years ago that affected his hearing, eyesight, and equilibrium. It took him a year to recuperate from the trauma. He described it as a terrifying period for him and his family.

After a health scare three years ago, Ashton Kutcher has fully recovered and is on the mend. After his diagnosis was made public, Kutcher elaborated on his health issue on Twitter. “Before this, there had been a lot of rumors, talk, or whatever you want to call it. Yes, three years ago, I experienced a bizarre vasculitis incident.”