Sandra Bullock’s longtime partner, Bryan Randall, recently died at age 57 after a three-year battle with ALS.
In a statement after his death, his family said, “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.”
The news came as a shock to the public as Bullock and Randall had kept his struggle completely private, compared to other stars who have been more open about their health issues.
“Divulging private information comes with a loss of your identity and privacy. It is not something that most people are interested in doing,” Dr. Mark Surrey, a fertility specialist and co-founder and medical director at the Southern California Reproductive Center, told Fox News Digital.
Surrey also noted that celebrities can often feel pressure “to be open about everything” with the public, but it “doesn’t mean it is good to divulge all of that. As a physician who provides fertility care for many public figures and celebrities, this is a deeply personal decision and everyone is entitled to a degree of privacy.”
Bullock and Randall had been dating since 2015, and according to People magazine, the pair first met when he was hired to take pictures during the birthday party for her son, Louis, that January.
In December 2021, Bullock was a guest on “Red Table Talk” where she gave a rare comment on their relationship.
“I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children – three children, [Randall’s] older daughter. It’s the best thing ever,” the actress said at the time.
Like Bullock and Randall, some stars maintain their privacy about a health issue until their death while others opt to take the information public after years of keeping it quiet.
Michael J. Fox is a passionate advocate for Parkinson’s disease research, but he wasn’t always public about his condition.
Fox was diagnosed in 1991 at age 29 but kept the news private until 1998 while he was working on his hit sitcom “Spin City.”
Earlier this year, the “Back to the Future” star talked about his decision to be open with fans about his illness while showcasing his documentary, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.
“My fans have basically given me my life,” he said. “I wanted to give these people who have done so much for me my time and gratitude. It was great for me to hear from all of you.”
He also opened up about the ongoing physical pain and how being transparent about what happens with Parkinson’s disease had made his life richer.
