SANDRA Bullock's longtime partner Bryan Randall has died at the age of 57 after a battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, his family has confirmed.
The photographer – who had been dating Sandra Bullock since 2015 – sadly died on Saturday, his family confirmed in a heartbreaking statement following a three-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
"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 in a statement via People.
And in an Instagram post shared on Monday, the move star's sister Gesine Bullock-Prado wrote: "I'm convinced that Bry has found the best fishing spot in heaven and is already casting his lure into rushing rivers teaming with salmon."
She added: "LS is a cruel disease but there is some comfort in knowing he had the best of caretakers in my amazing sister and the band of nurses she assembled who helped her look after him in their home."
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Read our Bryan Randall blog for the latest news and updates…
- By Isabelle Hajek
ALS Explained
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease that affects voluntary muscles in the body.
Progressive muscle weakness leads to paralysis and eventually death.
The disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and motor neurons, which control the movement of voluntary muscles, deteriorate and cause stiffness, twitching, weakness and eventually leads to difficulties speaking, swallowing and breathing.
Eventually, the condition causes paralysis and patients usually die from respiratory failure.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS
The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral in Summer of 2014 with the intention of bringing awareness to the disease: ALS.
Over 17 million people participated in the challenge which required people to dump a bucket of ice water on themselves and nominate other people to the challenge.
A total of $115million was raised via the challenge for the ALS Association.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Fans connect about ALS
Following Bryan's passing, fans have taken to Twitter to commisserate on the effects of ALS.
On individual posted:
"My brother-in-law passed from ALS a few years ago. So tragic to watch someone’s body completely fail with no hope of recovery. That’s tragic. I pray we find a cure someday."
Another:
"As an ALS spouse left behind, I wish her love and comforts."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra's break from film work, part two
In an interview with CBS News, when asked how long she would be taking a pause from acting, Bullock said, "I don't know. I don't know. Until I don't feel like I feel now when I'm in front of a camera."
"I want to be at home. I'm not doing anyone any favors who's investing in a project if I'm saying, 'I just want to be at home.' Cause I was always running, I was always running to the next thing. I just want to be present, and responsible for one thing."
She even joked about how she's been wanting to clean out her basement for a while and will now have the time to do so.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra's break from film work
On March 14, 2022, Bullock, 57, opened up about her career to Entertainment Tonight and explained why she decided to take a step back.
“I take my job very seriously when I’m at work,” Bullock told the media outlet.
“I just want to be 24/7 with my babies and my family,” she continued. “That’s where I’m gonna be for a while.”
Her time was to be spent with her adopted children Louis, 12, and Laila, 10, whom she raised following her divorce from Jesse James in 2010.
- By Carsen Holaday
Fans show support for beloved actress
Fans of Sandra Bullock are taking to social media to share messages of support for the actress after the death of her longtime partner.
"Sincerest condolences to Sandra and prayers for strength and comfort during this most sensitive time," one fan wrote on Twitter.
- By Isabelle Hajek
A friend remembers last conversation with Bryan
Despite not being in touch for over a year, Mia recalled her last conversation with the professional photographer.
"Well, our last conversations were about Julian and his art gallery that we were doing for a fundraiser.
"And we did talk about Paris and how she was doing, especially after the death of her father [Kristoff].
"And we were texting though, and he would just ask how I was doing and about the fundraiser. That was it," the former model shared.
"I always remember he gave a eulogy at my son's funeral, and it was just very touching. He was very close with my son," Mia shared.
"He was just a really good person and he was so supportive to my kids and he was just an amazing person.
"He was a beautiful person and I'm grateful to have known him."
- By Isabelle Hajek
'I had a dream about him' says friend
"I was wondering like what had happened to him because I hadn't heard from him in over a year," she told The U.S. Sun.
"And so, I thought, 'Well, that's really weird.'"
The 56-year-old boxing champ knew something was up when she didn't hear from Bryan on holidays and special anniversaries.
"And so it's been a long time and I was thinking, 'God, I hope he's okay. I haven't heard from him.'
"So now, I mean, now it'll makes sense, you know?"
Paris also shared an exclusive statement with The U.S. Sun: "I had a dream about Bryan before I heard the news.
"I think of it as his way of saying goodbye. My family and I will always remember him and the time in our lives we were together."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan's death 'blindsided' friend
Bryan Randall's longtime friend, Mia St. John, has revealed she was "blindsided" by his tragic death as he kept illness hidden from loved ones.
Now, one of his longtime friends is speaking out in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.
"I'm just very sorry and in shock because I didn't know he was sick," Mia St. John, the mother of Bryan's ex-girlfriend Paris St. John, said.
"It's a complete shock. He was in great shape. He was sober.
"He had been sober for many years, so yeah, it's just shocking."
The pro boxer went on to say that other close friends also didn't know about his private battle with ALS.
"Everyone is shocked," she added, while noting she found out about his death in the news just like everyone else.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
‘an amazing person’ Bryan Randall’s longtime friend was ‘blindsided’ by his tragic death
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, concluded
In March of 2022, Sandra announced she was taking a step back from movies to spend time with her family.
This came after her 2022 film, The Lost City.
She told PEOPLE:
"I'm not retiring, just going to not spend time in front of the camera for a while. I have beautiful babies. I'd rather look at them … I'd rather look at them every day and have them be mad at me and annoyed and make memories with them for right now."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, part four
In 2021, notoriously private Sandra Bullock, talked about the couple's relationship on Red Table Talk.
She also commented on their lack of marriage:
"I don't wanna say do it like I do it, but I don't need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother.
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."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, part three
The two were spotted for a date night in July of 2019 in West Hollywood.
In mid-2020, they donated KN95 masks to healthcare workers during the shortage due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Bryan posted:
"Kids wanted to give masks. 6000 of them went to the warriors on the front lines in downtown LA."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, part three
2018 was a big year for the couple in the public eye.
They were seen at the premiere of Ocean's Eight and the movie's afterparty.
In September, Bryan shared a tribute for Sandra's late father online.
At the end of the year, the two celebrated Bryan's birthday; in his Instagram posting of the event he noted missing Sandra's late father.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, part two
In 2016, the two denied rumors of an engagement via a representative.
Jump to 2018, The couple and Sandra's children went on a vacation to Disneyland.
Once again, in 2018, they had to confirm, once more, that they were not engaged.
A source said the couple, "Looked happier than ever"after a date night the same year.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Bryan and Sandra's relationship, part one
The couple's public relationship began in October 2015 when they were seen on a walk in Los Angeles.
A few days later they were photographed on a date night with a couple of friends.
At the end of October 2015 the pair made a red carpet debut for the Our Brand Is Crisis premiere.
In November of the same year they were seen on a couple of dates and enjoyed a vacation to the East Coast together.
- By Carsen Holaday
Bryan Randall and Sandra Bullock met in 2015
Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall started dating in 2015, shortly after they met when Randall photographed the actress' son's birthday party.
Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall started dating in 2015Credit: Getty - By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra Bullock on adopting, part two
Bullock then went on to discuss the bigger picture when it comes to adoption, revealing that even celebrities go through a thorough background check.
"There is always, always a soul out there that needs you to be their parent," Bullock continued. "You're put through the wringer. They ask a lot of questions. I had to have people write letters about my character, like oh my God.
"But the soul that you are supposed to parent is out there and it's ready for you. You just have to be willing to go through the gamut that feels very violating, that feels very invasive, that feels it's questioning your ability to be a good and loving parent, and be okay with that.
"Because that soul deserves to have those questions asked and when they find it and connect you with it, you'll understand."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra Bullock on adopting
In December 2021, Sandra Bullock opened up on Red Table Talk alongside Willow Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and her mother, Adrienne Banfield- Norris, about her struggles with adoption, calling the experience "incredibly hard."
"It's a system that exists and people don't know about it because it's a difficult thing to talk about. It gets deep and it gets dark," Bullock said.
"When I first went through the process myself, you have to prove that you are a capable parent. You're in the judgment cage. I got halfway through it and I said, I can't do this."
Adding: "It was an out-of-body experience in that they literally sit down and they ask you, so what do you think is the worst kind of abuse? What is the worst kind of drug, or alcohol? I go, I don't know, they're all bad. You're just going, if I don't answer this right, I'm not fit."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra Bullock's children
Sandra Bullock is the mother of son Louis Bardo, 13, and daughter Laila, 11, both of whom are adopted.
The Oscar winner adopted Louis at the age of 5 back in 2010 and Laila at the age of 3 back in 2020.
“My family is blended and diverse, nutty, and loving and understanding,” she told People. “That’s a family.”
Outside of their adoption, not much information is available on the youngsters as Bullock has kept them out of the spotlight.
In March 2022, it was announced that she was taking a break from acting to spend more time with her family.
A source told Us Weekly at the time: “Sandra was always very hands-on with her kids when she was home, but now that she’s stepped back from her career, she’s very active at their school."
- By Isabelle Hajek
Meet Bryan Randall's daughter
Skylar Staten is an aspiring model born in September 1993, in Los Angeles.
She is the daughter of the late photographer, Bryan Randall, and her late mother Janine Staten.
Growing up, both of Skylar's parents struggled with addiction.
While Bryan was able to get clean, Skylar's mom, Janine unfortunately died due to her addiction on January 7, 2004.
Skylar then went to live with her grandmother, Pierrette, before moving back to Los Angeles with Bryan to attend high school.
After high school, Skylar moved to Arizona for college.
While Skylar is the daughter of the famed photographer, she remains out of the spotlight and goes by her mother's surname.
- By Isabelle Hajek
Why ALS is called Lou Gehrig's Disease
ALS is also known as MND, Charcot disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig was born in the US in 1903, and was a successful baseball player.
He held many records in his day, including the most career grand slams, 23, broken in 2013, and the most consecutive games played, 2,130 which stood for 56 years.
Nicknamed The Iron Horse, he had a stellar career but his performance nosedived, and he was diagnosed with ALS on his 36th birthday in June 1939.
Two days after his diagnosis, he retired from the sport and his condition was made public.
Just two years later, on June 2 1941, Gehrig passed away.
Due to his fame, ALS is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease in North America.
- By Isabelle Hajek
What to know about ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is usually diagnosed around age 60 and in inherited cases from age 50 onwards.
There is no known cause, although in around five to ten percent of cases it is hereditary.
Both genetic and environmental factors are believed to be involved.
There is currently no cure for ALS and treatment is targeted at improving the symptoms.
- By Carsen Holaday
What to know about Bryan Randall
Bryan Randall was born in Portland, Oregon, on April 10, 1966.
Prior to meeting Sandra Bullock, he worked in Los Angeles as a professional photographer for about 10 years.
Randall was the owner of a successful photography company – Bryan Randall Photography, a company that focuses on children's portraits.
He worked as a model in his younger days and was lucky enough to be featured in Vogue Paris Magazine. Randall also had the chance to model for fashion powerhouses such as Saint Laurent and Hugo Boss.
Bryan Randall has died at age 57Credit: The Mega Agency - By Isabelle Hajek
Sandra Bullock said her partner was a ‘saint,' continued
During the interview, Sandra also praised Bryan: “He’s the example that I would want my children to have.
"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."
"We’re saying it differently but we mean the exact same thing," she said.
- By Carsen Holaday
Family shares heartbreaking statement
Bryan Randall's family announced his death in a heartbreaking statement.
"It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS," Bryan's family shared with People.
"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 statement 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.
"At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan."
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