{"id":388942,"date":"2026-01-05T04:50:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T04:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/388942\/"},"modified":"2026-01-05T04:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T04:50:11","slug":"greys-anatomys-steven-w-bailey-reveals-neuromuscular-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/388942\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Grey’s Anatomy’s Steven W. Bailey Reveals Neuromuscular Disorder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tA familiar face to fans of Grey\u2019s Anatomy<\/a>, Steven W. Bailey<\/a> is opening up about a five-year struggle with his own health<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tOn Friday, the actor known for playing bartender Joe on the long-running ABC<\/a> medical drama revealed his diagnosis of Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome (CMS), a neuromuscular disorder that has resulted in a growing reliance on a wheelchair.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI would like to share something important with you about my life and my career,\u201d he wrote in part in an X thread<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve spent years being cautious, private, and quiet about something that has been shaping my life and my work. That time is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBailey added, \u201cOut of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things in general, I have been hiding my battle with this disease for over five years. Time to stop.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cCMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the \u2018nerve\/muscle junction\u2019\u2026 or whatever doctors call it,\u201d he continued. \u201cThere are billions of these junction dodads in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be on the blink. Troublesome, little buggers- right? The point is: my muscles aren\u2019t clearly receiving all my brain\u2019s orders to do all the swell things muscles are meant to do. It\u2019s a drag.\u201d<\/p>\n

You may know me from Grey\u2019s Anatomy as Joe the bartender \u2014 or from appearances on Modern Family, You, Chicago Fire, or some other appearance.<\/p>\n

I would like to share something important with you about my life and my career.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\uddf5\ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n

\u2014 Steven W. Bailey (@theStevenBailey) January 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe Scandal actor explained that the condition makes his limbs \u201ctire quicker than they should, which makes them weaker than, well\u2026 anticipated,\u201d resulting in \u201cissues with walking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI am fortunate that I am currently still able to walk the dog around the block, navigate my home, pop into the store for a quick few items, and the like on my feet,\u201d wrote Bailey. \u201cBut the truth is, as my disease progresses, I have been using a powered wheelchair more and more to get around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tReferring to himself as an \u201cambulatory wheelchair user,\u201d he explained, \u201cI ambulate some, then I sit, I \u2018wheelchair\u2019 about, ambulate, sit, and then, you know, ambulate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cProfessionally, this is changing me as an actor. Much like walking my dog around the block, or helping at the store, I can still perform on my feet, limitedly. I can ambulate my way through simple \u201cwalks and talks\u201d with no problem. I can still rise to my feet to object to the judge, derail a town meeting, or yell at a cop for being a loose cannon. But, practically speaking, moving forward, it\u2019s time for my work, like in my life, to start skewing more wheelchair, if you will. Passed that time, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBailey added, \u201cI am hopeful that there is still room for me in this industry that I love. I look forward to performing as characters who live their lives with a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television. \u2026 Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels.\u201d<\/p>\n