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<\/p>\n\u201cFriends\u201d actor James Michael Tyler is battling stage 4 prostate cancer, which has left his lower body paralyzed.<\/p>\n
Tyler, who played Gunther on the hit series, said his worsening illness left him unable to attend the recent \u201cFriends\u201d reunion, and that\u2019s why he called in to the special via Zoom.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones,\u201d Tyler said on the \u201cToday\u201d show Monday.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve been dealing with that diagnosis for almost the past three years. \u2026 It\u2019s stage 4. Late-stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it\u2019s gonna probably get me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tyler, 59, said the cancer began mutating at the start of the pandemic, and that it progressed after he missed a doctor\u2019s appointment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI missed going in for a test, which was not a good thing,\u201d Tyler explained. \u201cSo the cancer decided to mutate at the time of the pandemic and so it\u2019s progressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tyler, who is undergoing chemotherapy, said he made the decision to participate in the HBO Max reunion via Zoom because he didn\u2019t want to be a \u201cdowner\u201d by revealing his physical limitations.<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cI wanted to be a part of that, and initially I was going to be on the stage, at least, with them, and be able to take part in all the festivities,\u201d Tyler said. \u201cIt was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn\u2019t wanna bring a downer on it, you know?<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t want to be like, \u2018Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Doctors initially treated Tyler\u2019s cancer with hormone therapy, which \u201cworked amazingly for about a year,\u201d but then it spread to his bones and spine, which caused the paralysis.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMy goal this past year was to see my 59th birthday. I did that, May 28th. My goal now is to help save at least one life by coming out with this news,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s my only reason for coming out like this and letting people know. \u2026 That\u2019s my new role.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cFriends\u201d actor James Michael Tyler is battling stage 4 prostate cancer, which has left his lower body paralyzed. Tyler, who played Gunther on the hit series, said his worsening illness left him unable to attend the recent \u201cFriends\u201d reunion, and that\u2019s why he called in to the special via Zoom. \u201cI was diagnosed with advanced …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":70590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11185],"tags":[74887,74885],"yoast_head":"\n