Ned Fulmer, a former member of the popular YouTube collective The Try Guys, has publicly disclosed that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013, a secret he kept for over a decade.
A Decade-Long Secret Revealed
In a deeply personal video posted to his YouTube channel on Sunday, the 38-year-old podcaster shared the details of his health journey. Fulmer explained that he partnered with Walk MS to raise awareness for the incurable autoimmune disease, which impacts the brain and spinal cord.
"This is a cause that's really important to me because I actually have MS," Fulmer confessed in the video. "It's been something that I've been afraid to talk about and wanted to keep a secret, but I'm trying to be more open about myself, and hopefully my story can help other people."
The Physical and Emotional Toll of MS
Fulmer described the daily reality of living with the condition, writing in his video description that it involves "numbness in my hands on a daily basis and living in fear of waking up one day and not being able to walk." He recounted a terrifying incident in 2013 when he woke up completely unable to walk.
The situation escalated when he collapsed in his bathroom one night and could not get up from the floor, forcing a rushed hospital visit. "I remember sitting in that hospital bed and it getting worse and just being so scared, wondering if I was going to be able to walk again, or what was going to happen to me. I was so confused," he recalled, visibly emotional.
His recovery involved steroid injections and a plasma exchange. Fulmer now manages his condition, which includes ongoing sensory issues, by taking an oral medication twice daily.
Turning Struggle into Action
In a powerful act of advocacy, Fulmer pledged to donate $1,000 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for every 10 miles he walked. During the filming of his YouTube video, he pushed himself to walk 26 miles, breaking down in tears upon completion after hitting the 22-mile mark.
"I was keeping it a really big secret for a long time and I don't think that was very helpful for me," he reflected. "So I'm trying to be more open with it, especially in conversation. And I'm very grateful to be in remission and I am very happy to be making this video."
This health revelation comes three years after Fulmer's highly publicised exit from The Try Guys following an admission of an extramarital affair with a staff member at his production company. He and his wife, Ariel Fulmer, announced their separation in September. The former couple share two sons together.
