Steven W. Bailey, an actor known for his recurring role on "Grey's Anatomy," revealed he has been diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder that is increasingly affecting his mobility and career.
Bailey, 54, revealed in a detailed thread on X, Friday, that he has congenital myasthenia syndrome, a hereditary condition that disrupts communication between nerves and muscles and leads to muscle weakness.
Bailey said he kept the diagnosis private for years, but chose to speak out after gaining a clearer understanding of the condition and how it was progressing.
In what he described as an open letter, Bailey wrote that he had "spent years being cautious, private and quiet" about something that has been "shaping [his] life and work."
"That time is over," he wrote.
"It's the darndest thing, but it turns out I have a rather rare genetic neuromuscular disorder. Weird, right? It's called Congenital Myasthenia Syndrome," Bailey continued.
According to the Mayo Clinic, CMS refers to a group of rare inherited disorders caused by genetic differences that impair neuromuscular transmission, resulting in muscle weakness.
The condition can affect muscles involved in movement as well as those used for speaking, swallowing, breathing, blinking, and walking.
Bailey said he initially chose not to share his health struggles "out of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things," but concluded it was "time to stop" hiding the reality of his condition.
"CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the 'nerve/muscle junction' … or whatever doctors call it," he wrote. "There are billions of these junction [doodads] in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be on the blink.
"Troublesome, little buggers — right?"
He explained that the disorder causes his limbs to fatigue more quickly than expected.
"The result being that my hands, arms and legs tire quicker than they should, which makes them weaker than, well … anticipated," Bailey wrote. "Sustained repetitive movements are particularly difficult and can cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down."
While Bailey noted with humor that the diagnosis has helped him avoid household chores, he said the disease has increasingly limited his ability to walk.
"The truth is, as my disease progresses, I have been using a powered wheelchair more and more to get around," he wrote, adding that the change affected his career.
"Professionally, this is changing me as an actor," Bailey said.
He noted that he can "still perform on [his] feet" in a limited capacity but acknowledged a shift in the types of roles he expects to pursue.
"Practically speaking, moving forward, it's time for my work, like in my life, to start skewing more wheelchair, if you will. Passed that time, really," he wrote. "But now I am here — done hiding — with a clear understanding of my disease, wheels firmly beneath me, ready for the next chapter in my life and career."
Bailey said he plans to pursue roles written for characters who use wheelchairs.
"I look forward to performing as characters who live their lives with a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television," he wrote. "Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels."
Bailey appeared in more than 30 episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" as Joe, the owner of a bar near the show's fictional hospital, from Seasons 1 through 7.
His TV credits also include "NCIS," "Angel," "Modern Family," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Scandal."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.