Steven W. Bailey, best known for playing Joe the bartender in Grey’s Anatomy, revealed a health diagnosis that will impact what his next roles might look like.
On Friday, January 2, the 54-year-old actor — who has also appeared in shows like Chicago Fire, Modern Family, Shameless, Scandal, and more — took to X to share an open letter to fans.
Bailey went on to share that he was diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder called congenital myasthenia syndrome (CMS).
“Out of career caution, diagnostic uncertainty, and being private about such things in general, I have been hiding my battle with this disease for over five years,” he explained. “It’s time to stop hiding.”
He noted that CMS “disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’… or whatever doctors call it.” Additionally, he detailed, “There are billions of these junction dodads in a body, and an increasing number of mine seem to be on the blink. Troublesome, little buggers.”
As a result, Bailey said his hands, arms, and legs “tire quicker than they should,” and that CMS can “cause my muscles to temporarily tighten and shut down.” This has also posed problems with walking.
“I am fortunate that I am currently still able to walk the dog around the block, navigate my home, pop into the store for a quick few items, and the like on my feet,” he shared. “But the truth is, as my disease progresses, I have been using a powered wheelchair more and more to get around.”
You may know me from Grey’s Anatomy as Joe the bartender — or from appearances on Modern Family, You, Chicago Fire, or some other appearance.
I would like to share something important with you about my life and my career.
— Steven W. Bailey (@theStevenBailey) January 3, 2026
In his series of posts, Bailey described himself as an ambulatory wheelchair user, explaining, “I ambulate some, then I sit, I ‘wheelchair’ about, ambulate, sit, and then, you know, ambulate.”
He added, “This duality can lead to some humorous interactions. Like me using my wheelchair in a department store, while still having the ‘tall guy’ habit of standing up to help someone get something off the top shelf. Life can be odd.”
To wrap up his update, Bailey detailed how CMS will affect him as an actor, moving forward.
“I can still rise to my feet to object to the judge, derail a town meeting, or yell at a cop for being a loose cannon,” he wrote. “But, 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.”
Bailey declared that he was “done hiding” and “ready for the next chapter of my life and career” with “wheels firmly beneath me.”
“I am hopeful that there is still room for me in this industry that I love. I look forward to performing as characters who live their lives with a chair, creating a more representative world in film and television,” he shared.
Bailey concluded, “And now that I think of it, I don’t need to leap to my feet to object to that judge I mentioned earlier. They’ll hear me. And I can derail any town meeting from my chair — no problem. And as far as loose cannons go — well, you get the point. Frankly, I’m excited. Same guy. Same actor. Same artist. Now with wheels. — Steven W. Bailey.”
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