Photographer Bryan Randall, the longtime partner of Sandra Bullock, has passed away at the age of 57 after privately battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease, for three years, according to reports. Randall died on Saturday; his family confirmed on Monday.
Randall, a model-turned-photographer, and the Hollywood actress first met in 2015 after shooting her son Louis's birthday. It came five years after her messy divorce from Jesse James. In their most recent public appearance together in July 2020, the former model was captured looking affectionately at his partner as they arrived at a small event in Studio City with her two children.
End of a Long Fight
"It is with great sadness that we share that on August 5th Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a 3 year battle with ALS," Bullock and his family shared in a statement on Monday. "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.
"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," the family continued, asking for "privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan."
Randall's family has requested contributions to be made to the ALS Association and Massachusetts General Hospital in lieu of flowers, as reported by People magazine.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable and ultimately fatal disease. Its progression varies among patients, and there is no uniform timeline.
After the onset of symptoms, people with ALS typically have an estimated lifespan of two to five years, although around 10 percent of patients survive for at least a decade.
In certain countries, ALS is referred to as a motor-neuron disease.
The disease is alternatively known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, named after the American baseball player who was diagnosed with it in 1939 at the young age of 36.
Although they maintained a degree of privacy regarding their relationship, Bullock shared insights into their bond during a December 2021 appearance on Jada Pinkett Smith's former Facebook Watch talk show, "Red Table Talk." She referred to Randall as "the love of my life."
"I am someone who went through the divorce process," she shared with the outlet. Bullock was previously married to entrepreneur Jesse James from 2005 to 2010.
"I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children — three children, he's got his older daughter. It's the best thing ever," she continued. "I don't want to say do it how I do it, but I don't need a paper to be a devoted partner and a devoted mother."
While the couple did not have biological children together, Bullock is a mother to two adopted children, a son named Louis (13) and a daughter named Laila (11). Randall has an adult daughter named Skylar from a previous relationship.
Her True Love
Bullock and Randall's romantic relationship started a few months after their first meeting. They became a couple and even attended Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding in the same year, as reported by People magazine.
Bullock was in the midst of adopting her second child when her relationship with Randall became more serious.
Much like his approach to handling his health challenges, Randall led a relatively discreet and private lifestyle. Randall, who was originally from Portland, Ore, pursued a career as a professional photographer, running his own venture known as Bryan Randall Photography. His specialization revolved around children's portraits and outdoor settings.
Before finding his calling in photography, Randall had a stint as a model. He engaged in campaigns for prominent brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and Hugo Boss, and his presence graced the pages of esteemed fashion publications like Vogue Paris and Harper's Bazaar Singapore.
Randall also briefly pursued acting, having attended Los Angeles drama school Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop.
Randall was briefly romantically involved with Paris St. John, the daughter of late "Young and the Restless" actor Kristoff St. John and retired boxer Mia St. John.
"He's funny, light-hearted, a very free spirit, goofy and playful," Mia told Page Six of Randall in September 2015. "He's amazing with kids." Mia added that Randall, who was 25 years older than her daughter, Paris, "was really looking to settle down ... get married and have more children."
While there were reports indicating Randall's desire to marry the Oscar-winning actress, Bullock herself expressed a different sentiment during her appearance on "Red Table Talk." She mentioned that she didn't feel the necessity for a formal marriage certificate to validate her commitment as a dedicated partner and mother.
Bullock had previously been married to biker Jesse James, but their marriage ended in a bitter divorce in June 2010. The split followed a widely publicized scandal involving Jesse James' infidelity.
