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According to a story from Buzzfeed News, actor Tyler James Williams recently was awarded a Golden Globe for his performance on the hit comedy series Abbott Elementary as teacher Gregory Eddie. However, a lot of people don’t know that he lives with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory disorder that primarily impacts the digestive system. In an interview for Men’s Health, he talked more about his experience with the illness.

About Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease which can impact any area of the digestive tract. The cause of the illness is not well understood, but a combination of environmental, genetic, bacterial, and immune system factors could play a role; smoking tobacco appears to increase risk. The disease is often identified in the teen years or early adulthood. While abnormal immune system behavior is also present, it is not considered an autoimmune disease. Symptoms include weight loss, abdominal distension, bowel obstruction, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, fatigue, and inflammation spreading to other areas (eyes, joints, etc.). Patients are at an elevated risk of cancer impacting the digestive tract. Treatment includes changes to diet, stopping smoking, steroids, immunosuppressants, and certain surgical operations. Symptoms tend to relapse and remit, and some patients are able to live mostly normal lives. However, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease and treatment must continue for life. Patients have a slightly reduced life expectancy. To learn more about Crohn’s disease, click here.

Tyler James Williams’ Story

Williams was first diagnosed with the disease at age 24; after playing a role as a high schooler on Everybody Hates Chris, he sought more adult acting roles and began a body transformation plan in order to bulk up. The attempt put his life in danger. He was working with personal trainers and eating more than he normally would when it all just hit him:

“It just crashed. Everything shut down.”

He experienced severe abdominal pain, and doctors recognized his symptoms as a Crohn’s disease flareup. Tyler then underwent surgery which involved six inches of his intestine removed. His recovery was difficult; he only weighed 105 lb. and couldn’t even walk at the time:

 “I had to learn how to stop making a dramatic change happen really quickly and learn how to have a better relationship with my body. The important thing for me, and those like me, to remember is that longevity is a big part of the game. If you can’t [stay strong] and be healthy, there really is no point.”

In order to manage his Crohn’s disease, Tyler also stopped consuming red meat, alcohol, and coffee, which could trigger a flare-up. Medications for the treatment of the illness are also available. His brother, Tyrel Jackson Williams, also lives with the disease.