Rob Nunnery’s Crohn’s Disease Recovery: Professional pickleball player Rob Nunnery, 39, recently returned to the court after battling intense chronic pain for nearly three years due to perianal Crohn’s disease.
The turning point came in February 2025 when he underwent colostomy surgery in Florida, allowing him to live and move without the constant pain that had affected his career and daily life. Nunnery’s determination to keep playing pickleball, despite a serious illness, shows the strength and perseverance it takes to face a chronic condition head-on.
From Mystery Pain to Diagnosis
Rob Nunnery’s health problems began in March 2022 while he was in Utah for a tournament. He had flown in from his home in Hawaii and woke up one night with sharp pain in his backside. At first, doctors thought it was a perianal abscess, and he underwent surgery to drain it. However, his pain never went away.
“It was always there, this constant, chronic pain. I just didn’t know why it was happening or why it wasn’t going away after surgery. I think that was probably the darkest time, not knowing what could be done to solve this, or if it would ever go away.” – (Nunnery)
For more than a year, Nunnery lived with intense pain when sitting, moving, or going to the bathroom. After visiting specialists at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2023, he was finally diagnosed with perianal Crohn’s disease, a type that affects around one-third of people with Crohn’s and often causes serious complications and frequent hospital visits.
Playing Through Pain and Fatigue
Even while in pain, Rob Nunnery kept competing in professional pickleball. He had fallen in love with the sport after discovering it in 2019, switching from a career in advertising to playing full-time. In 2020, he became a pro. As of 2025, the Association of Pickleball Players ranks him #9 in men’s doubles and #11 in mixed doubles.
“Pre-pickleball, I was in the advertising world and just really tied to a computer all day. Moving, for me, is playing a sport, the competition. That’s what’s going to make me want to go be active, rather than just going for the health aspect.” – (Nunnery)
He continued playing to stay mentally strong, though he admits it was risky for his body.
“On the court, it was actually good for my mental state. It would allow me to get my mind off the pain for a little bit and just focus on something else, like fully being present. To manage the pain, I was doing stuff I shouldn’t be doing, especially with Crohn’s.” – (Nunnery)
He often took ibuprofen (Advil), which doctors warn against for people with Crohn’s because it can harm the stomach and intestines. He also experienced extreme fatigue and had to skip training sessions.
“And then after the tournament was over, I would just be essentially wiped out for like a week, just wanting to sleep.” – (Nunnery)
Finding Strength by Sharing His Story
Although Rob Nunnery was winning tournaments, he was hiding how much he was suffering.
“When I was in the depths of the tough parts, I was pretty isolated in terms of sharing what was going on. Even though it’s beautiful in Hawaii, I felt very, very alone.” – (Nunnery)
Things changed when a friend came to visit and Nunnery opened up about his struggles.
“It was amazing, having someone to connect with who just listened. If I didn’t have that, it would have been a scarier place, for sure.” – (Nunnery)
He found comfort by reading about other people’s experiences with Crohn’s disease and later decided to help others in return. He joined Athletes vs. Crohn’s and Colitis, an organization co-founded by National Basketball Association player Larry Nance Jr., who also has Crohn’s.
“If I can be even a small voice in terms of somebody reading my story and connecting with it, that’s at least some value I can provide to others who might be going through something similar.” – (Nunnery)
Life-Changing Surgery Brings Relief
By late 2024, medications like azathioprine (Imuran) and infliximab (Remicade) were not helping. He was also taking gabapentin (Neurontin) for pain but was still suffering. His doctors gave him two choices: continue to live in constant pain or get a colostomy, a surgery that re-routes the large intestine to an opening in the stomach where waste is collected in a bag.
“I was so against it,” Rob Nunnery said about his first reaction. “No way.” He worried that wearing a colostomy bag would affect how others saw him and if it would keep him from playing pickleball. But the pain became too much to bear.
“The pain I was living with just got to the point where I would happily have traded anything else for it.” – (Nunnery)
It was his partner, Malan, who helped him feel confident about going forward with the procedure.
“From the beginning, she didn’t scoff. She was like: ‘Whatever we need to do to not have you living in pain like this every day. This isn’t OK—it’s not a way to live. It’s going to make you a happier version of yourself. And if you’re in less pain, that’s everything.’” – (Nunnery)
The surgery took place in February 2025. Two months later, Nunnery is adjusting to life with a colostomy.
“I’m basically trying to figure out how to reconcile my essentially new body and how to feel OK in it, and how to how to find some confidence in it again.” – (Nunnery)
What Comes Next for Rob Nunnery?
Now living in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Rob Nunnery is back on the pickleball court in a limited way and has two tournaments scheduled in May—one in Dubai and one in New York City.
“My hopes are to be competitive [again]. I definitely want to go out and give it a go and see how my body holds up. I still feel like I can get better even with even with the colostomy.” – (Nunnery)
He knows he may not win every match, but that’s not what matters most to him now. After the surgery, he took a peaceful half-mile walk on the beach.
“I’m going to put my toe back in the water, see how it goes, and try not to have too high expectations for myself.” – (Nunnery)
“It was just like the most glorious walk I’ve ever been on. The sun was out, the air was cool, and I was pain-free walking to the beach. Even though I had the bag, I just wouldn’t trade it for the world.” – (Nunnery)
Rob Nunnery’s Advice for Living With Crohn’s
Rob Nunnery has learned a lot from his experience and now shares these tips for others who are also living with inflammatory bowel disease:
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Address the pain. “It’s not fair to yourself—or to those around you—to live with pain every day when there are alternatives to suffering. Work with your doctor to develop a plan to manage your pain.”
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Rest when you need to. “Listen to your body and take it easy when it tells you to. You don’t have to push yourself every day. Take that 2 p.m. nap if you need it, and get your eight hours of sleep every night.”
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Be kind to yourself. “Set fair expectations of what you can do, especially when you’re in pain.”
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Open up about what’s happening. “Trying to manage a chronic illness like Crohn’s solo is not sustainable. Talk to your friends and family.”
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Help others to help yourself. “Connecting with others who have Crohn’s disease will help you, and them, feel less alone. Sharing your experiences may comfort and even inspire others.”
Why Rob Nunnery’s Story Matters
Rob Nunnery’s journey shows how strength, openness, and support can help overcome even the hardest health struggles. By sharing his story, he is helping to reduce stigma, raise awareness of Crohn’s disease, and encourage others to seek help. Whether he wins on the court or not, he’s already scored the most important victory—getting his life back.
News in Brief: Rob Nunnery’s Crohn’s Disease Recovery
Professional pickleball player Rob Nunnery has returned to the court after undergoing colostomy surgery to treat perianal Crohn’s disease, a painful and chronic condition he battled for over a year.
Diagnosed in 2023 after multiple surgeries failed, Nunnery chose surgery in February 2025 to end his daily pain. Now 40, he’s easing back into tournaments, including upcoming events in Dubai and New York City, calling his pain-free walks post-surgery “the most glorious” of his life.
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