The Rare Medical Condition Marilu Henner Lives With

Actor Marilu Henner has donned the small screen in some of the most iconic shows and movies of the last five decades. She got her start in the stage musical "Grease," which later became the hit movie we all know and love, according to People. "I thought, 'No way is this thing gonna be hit. I'm not gonna waste the time leaving school,'" Henner told People, rehashing how she had been in the very first production of the show in Chicago but backed out before it made Broadway. 

Later, she joined the national tour alongside John Travolta, who would go on to play Danny Zuko in the beloved film adaptation. But Henner had her own career in the making, and she would prove to be quite successful when it came to winning over hearts on the television screen. She starred in the award-winning show "Taxi," clocking in 114 episodes, per IMBd. But of course, she didn't stop there. In fact, she is one of the highest-paid Hallmark stars and a fan-favorite on the network. Through the years, Henner has been a staple of the entertainment and television industry. But she has recently shared more insight into the rare medical condition that she lives with.

Often, when we hear news about health conditions affecting people's memories, we brace ourselves for the worst. But that isn't the case for practiced actor Marilu Henner. Henner coins herself as a "memory expert" on her Instagram and has shared details about the medical condition responsible for her ability to recall every day of her life. Henner was diagnosed with hyperthymesia, nicknamed Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory, according to ABC News. "When somebody gives me a date or a year or something, I see all these little movie montages, basically on a time continuum, and I'm scrolling through them and flashing through them," she told the outlet, explaining how her memory is similar to a scene-selection screen when watching a movie.

Henner discovered her rare gift with memory when she was young, but she assumed it was just an interesting quirk – not one of the rarest medical conditions in the world. "Even when I was 5 years old, people would say to my parents, 'What's with that kid and her memory? She remembers the last time I was here and everything that happened,'" she said (via Brain and Life). As she got older, Henner's career choice benefited from her ability to quickly memorize lines. But it wasn't until much later that she learned that she had a Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory.

Actor Marilu Henner had always been gifted when it came to learning, but she didn't realize that her memory was near supernatural until the 2000s. According to Brain and Life, "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl — who knew Henner and her wicked ability to recite any memory perfectly — had been pitched a story to cover concerning Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. But Stahl didn't think that the topic was newsworthy because Henner had a similar ability. It took a few years, but eventually, Henner underwent an MRI and answered questions while taped for a segment of "60 Minutes" covering HSAM.

From there, Henner had another accolade to add to her resume: "memory wizard." She became a consultant for memory tips, per AARP, and even released a book all about her condition: "Total Memory Makeover." While some with HSAM find the condition overwhelming — the constant bombardment of all their memories interrupting their everyday lives — Henner says that, for her, it's a blessing. "I get asked if it's hard remembering all the bad things that have happened to me — but the bad memories, you're going to remember those anyway," she told Brain and Life. "I happen to be able to cushion that and the happy memories with all those nice middle-of-the-road memories that make up your life ... Your memory is your story, it's your life, it's everything."