Russell Andrews recently disclosed that he has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. This devastating neurodegenerative condition impacts nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain, ultimately leading to a fatal outcome. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for ALS, which progressively disables the ability to breathe, swallow, talk, and walk by destroying motor neurons.
On Saturday, May 16th, Andrews, accompanied by his fiancée, actress Erica Tazel, appeared on The Story Is with Elex Michaelson on CNN. This was the first time he publicly shared the news of his progressive disease. The Straight Outta Compton star stated, "I am a person living with ALS. I was diagnosed in the late fall of last year."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrews suffered a stroke, which he now believes was an early and glaring sign of ALS. Additionally, he experienced occasional "twitches" that felt like "pinched nerves" in his neck. "It was a stressful time," he recalled. "We didn't work for about three years, and then we had the back-to-back strikes and so much was going on." He was referring to the actors' strike in Hollywood in 2023.
The Punisher alum recounted, "I wasn't able to do things that I normally did. I was dropping cups and glasses at night. It felt like things were running up and down my arm at different times, and it was the nerves." "It took him longer to clean the pool. The way he walked, there were just subtle little things like that, and I had questions. I was like, 'Something is definitely wrong,'" Tazel recollected.
Andrews sought a neurologist's opinion upon the recommendation of a primary care physician and was subsequently diagnosed with ALS. Tazel shared her thoughts on his diagnosis, saying, "I was uncharacteristically calm and in a way, it was an answer to a lot of questions that we had. [There] was not a sigh of relief, but some understanding of what was happening."
"And I looked at him across the room and I said, 'At least now we know what it is, and I still want to be your wife,'" the Roots actress shared.
It is important to note that according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, individuals typically live three to five years after being diagnosed with ALS as symptoms progressively worsen over time.
