In 2017, Tyler James Williams experienced a terrifying health issue that led to a near-death experience. The actor had been working and working out a lot, despite having serious stomach pain. “I was really pushing my body to the limit,” he told Men’s Health.
By the time doctors figured out what was wrong, it was almost too late. Williams was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and a flare-up caused damage to his bowels and intestines. Surgery was required to remove six inches of lower intestine, but Williams was unable to heal properly due to the level of inflammation present. He nearly died once his intestines perforated, and his body went septic. “The last thought I had was ‘Holy s**t, this could be it. If this is it, I’m not happy. I worked a lot. I did a lot of things. I didn’t enjoy any of this. This can’t be it,'” he said in his interview with Men’s Health.
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Although recovery was rough, he slowly worked his way back to health. He changed his diet, eliminating alcohol, coffee, and red meat. But what about that epiphany he had in the hospital? Williams decided to take on acting roles that felt more important to him, and playing Gregory Eddie on “Abbott Elementary” was the perfect fit. “[Gregory] wants to be in this position of power ’cause he feels like that’s what he needs to be successful but then finds out that that’s not his life,” Williams explained, adding, “That sounds like the very journey I had to come to.” We are so grateful he made it!
