Bryan Randall privately battled ALS
Sandra Bullock's longtime partner Bryan Randall, 57, died over the weekend, his family revealed in a statement to People Magazine on Monday. "It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS," his family shared. "Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request."
"We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours," the family shared, adding, "At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan."
What is ALS?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control and the disease often gets worse over time. The exact cause of the disease is still not known and a small number of cases are inherited.
How does it start?
According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg. Other early symptoms include trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects control of the muscles one needs to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure yet for this fatal disease.
Signs and symptoms of ALS
Symptoms of ALS vary from one person to another, depending on which nerve cells are affected. Some common signs one may experience include trouble walking or doing usual daily activities; tripping and falling; weakness in the legs, feet or ankles; hand weakness or clumsiness; slurred speech or trouble swallowing. Patients can also experience weakness associated with muscle cramps and twitching in the arms, shoulders and tongue. Other symptoms include untimely crying, laughing or yawning; as well as thinking or behavioral changes.
Who is more likely to get amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?
According to the US NIH, here are some risk factors for ALS:
- Age: symptoms most commonly develop between the ages of 55 and 75, although the disease can strike at any age.
- Biological sex: Males are slightly more likely to develop ALS. However, as people age, the difference between the sexes disappears.
- Race and ethnicity: Caucasians and non-Hispanics are most likely to develop the disease. Still, it is important to note that ALS affects people of all races and ethnic backgrounds.