07 August 2023 , 20:12
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Bryan Randall, the longtime partner of actress Sandra Bullock, has died at the age of 57, a family statement has confirmed.
His death comes as they confirmed he was secretly battling with ALS. They revealed Bryan died over the weekend, following a three year fight with the disease.
The emotional statement read: "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."
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Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall (GC Images)
The pair began dating in 2015 (GC Images)The words, told to PEOPLE, continued: "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.
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"At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan," the statement concluded, before it was signed, "His Loving Family."
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke say ALS, which stands for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. It states it is: "A rare neurological disease that affects motor neurons—those nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement." These include muscles we use to choose to move to produce movements like chewing, walking, and talking.
There is currently no cure for the disease and it is reported that people with ALS are expected to live between two and five years after symptoms are first noticed. Up to 10 percent of people however live for at least 10 more years.
Bryan Randall met Sandra when he was the photographer at her kid's party (HEDO / BACKGRID)
Sandra keeps her personal life mainly out of the public eye (Getty Images)Miss Congeniality star Sandra, 59, first met the model-turned-photographer in 2015. He was the photographer at her son's birthday party in the January of the year. Later that year they announced their relationship to the public and made an appearance together at the wedding of Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux.
In 2021, Sandra - who is mum to Louis, 13, and Laila, 10 - discussed marriage. On Red Table Talk, the actress said at the time: "I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children— three children, [Randall's] older daughter. It's the best thing ever."
She went on to explain she didn't need a certificate to showcase her love, saying: "I don't need to be told to be ever present in the hardest of times. I don't need to be told to weather a storm with a good man. So if that's what you have.... Think about what kind of parent he would be. Think about what kind of parent you would be. And what if something happened? Would you both be great parents to those children even if you didn't make it as a couple. Think about the children first."
She also revealed Bryan was the "example that I would want my children to have." She said: "I have a partner who's very Christian and there are two different ways of looking at things. I don't always agree with him, and he doesn't always agree with me. But he is an example even when I don't agree with him."
Sandra Bullock previously discussed marriage (Getty Images for SXSW)The words echoed a gushing statement about her "soul mate" back in 2016. The Oscar-winning actress, who had a heartbreaking public split from husband Jesse James in 2011 amid a cheating scandal, was said to be "so happy" with the photographer.
A source told E News at the time: "Her friends and family love seeing Sandy so happy. Her main love are her kids. She taught them to learn the value of a dollar and appreciate the small things. Louis is the most well-behaved child and polite to other kids. Brian shares the same feeling on how raising kids should be."
Following Bryan's death, his family asks for donations to be made to the ALS Association and the Massachusetts General Hospital in lieu of flowers, according to PEOPLE.
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