Actor Russell Andrews announced that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS.
“I am a person living with ALS. I was diagnosed in the late fall of last year. It’s been humbling,” Andrews, 64, said during a Saturday, May 16, appearance on CNN’s The Story Is With Elex Michaelson alongside his fiancée, actress Erica Tazel.
Andrews, whose credits include roles in Straight Outta Compton and Better Call Saul, said he first experienced symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I thought I had a stroke during COVID. It was a stressful time,” he said, adding that his health issues were compounded by the fact that he was unable to work during the pandemic, as well as the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes.
“There were moments there were twitches. There were things that I thought I was having pinched nerves in my neck and they were quite frequent,” he explained. “I was not able to do things that I normally do. I was dropping cups and glasses, and in the night, it felt like things were running up and down my arm at different times, and it was the nerves.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, “ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing, or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease, but research into new therapies is ongoing.”
CNN reported that Tazel, whose credits include a role on the hit show Justified, is stepping into the role of caretaker for her fiancé.
“The processing is a process. When he originally shared with me, I say I was uncharacteristically calm,” Tazel, 49, said. “In a way, it was an answer to a lot of questions that we had. There were certain things that we started to see that were different. For example, it took him longer to clean the pool. The way he walked, there was a subtle little [change] … things like that. I had questions. I was like, ‘Something is definitely wrong,’ and so we now know what it was.”
Tazel told CNN anchor Elex Michaelson that she has learned “there are cases” where love “is truly unconditional,” as she has stood by Andrews’ side.
“When he shared the news with me, again, 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 actress said.
Andrews, Tazel and his family have also received support from the ALS Network, which advocates for the detection, treatment and cure of the disease.
Andrews’ reveal on Saturday comes amid ALS Awareness Month, which takes place during the month of May.
Former Grey’s Anatomy actor Eric Dane died at age 53 in February nearly a year after announcing his own battle with ALS.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” Dane’s family said in a statement at the time. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [Rebecca Gayheart], and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
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