Frankie Muniz Opens Up About Health Problems, Memory Loss
Frankie Muniz has opened up about his health in a big way.
The 31-year-old actor discussed his health problems during Dancing With the Stars' "Most Memorable Year" night on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. "I'm not actually sure how my memory loss started," Muniz shared in a pre-taped segment, which aired prior to his performance (via Entertainment Tonight). "I have had nine concussions and I've had a fair amount of mini-strokes."
"I'm not saying those things correlate exactly to the reason why my memory's not great," the DWTS contestant explained to his professional dance partner, Witney Carson. "I've never been to the doctor and been like, you know, 'Why don't I have a memory?' To be honest, I've never really talked about it."
The former Malcolm in the Middle star's girlfriend, Paige, has helped him through it by keeping a journal of their day-to-day lives. "I love to be able to look back," the former child actor said. "It makes make a little sad that it doesn't just pop back into my mind. Like, I should have remembered going to Australia. That's something that people remember."
Muniz also has the support of his TV dad, Bryan Cranston. "I told him not to worry about what you remember and what you don't remember. They're still your experiences," Cranston said in the video. "That will be my job. I will tell him, 'Remember this? Remember that from Malcolm? What a life for you!'"
"My most memorable year is 2017, because I learned to live in the present," Muniz added. "I'm happy with my acting career, I'm happy the decision I made to drive race cars and to focus on music. Even if I don't remember it all, I'm happy."
Following Muniz and Carson's quickstep performance to "Adventure of a Lifetime" by Coldplay, host Tom Bergeron said, "You seem to be almost at peace with the fact that you're having memory issues. Is that accurate or is that just acting?" To which the actor-turned-race car driver replied, "No, 100 percent. I mean, it's not something that I necessarily think of. I'm just me, so I only know my brain and my life."