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Actor A. Russell Andrews Announces ALS Diagnosis, Fiancée Caretaker

5/19/2026

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Summary

Russell Andrews Announces ALS

Actor A. Russell Andrews announced on May 16, 2026 that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
He was diagnosed in late fall 2025 after experiencing twitches, pinched-neck nerves and dropping objects.
After the 2023 strike left him uninsured, he regained coverage and saw a neurologist within 15 minutes.
Fiancée Erica Tazel (actress) will be his caretaker as he joins the ALS Network and hopes his story raises awareness in May.

Summary

Russell Andrews ALS

The disclosure was timed with ALS Awareness Month and partnered with the ALS Network to raise disease visibility.
The ALS Network said Andrews, his fiancée Erica Tazel, and daughter Anya will share their journey and named Lou Gehrig, Stephen Hawking and Eric Dane, who died in February at age 53.
Erica Tazel said she felt calm after the diagnosis and confirmed the couple still plans to marry.

Summary

Andrews Seeks Funding

Andrews and his fiancée met with U.S. lawmakers to press for expanded ALS research funding.
The CDC reports roughly 5,000 new ALS diagnoses in the United States each year.
Mayo Clinic data show average ALS survival is three to five years, though some live ten years or more.
Respiratory failure is the most common cause of death for ALS patients because the disease weakens breathing muscles.

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Russell Andrews Announces ALS

Actor A. Russell Andrews announced on May 16, 2026 that he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
He was diagnosed in late fall 2025 after experiencing twitches, pinched-neck nerves and dropping objects.
After the 2023 strike left him uninsured, he regained coverage and saw a neurologist within 15 minutes.
Fiancée Erica Tazel (actress) will be his caretaker as he joins the ALS Network and hopes his story raises awareness in May.

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