Grey’s Anatomy’s ‘Joe’ opens up about heartbreaking aftermath of rare neuromuscular disease diagnosis

For years, fans of Greys Anatomy knew him as Joe, the trusty bartender serving the lives of Meredith Grey, Christina Yang, and Derek Shepherd, among others.

But now, the actor behind the beloved character, Steven W. Bailey, is in the spotlight for an entirely different reason.

The actor has recently revealed he was diagnosed with Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome in 2020, and is now opening up about it.

Speaking on Good Morning America days after making his diagnosis public on Twitter (now X), Steven, 54, recalling his earliest symptoms, said: “I tried to turn my hand with a screwdriver, and my entire arm just went into a lockdown situation,” noting: “There’s a lot of private moments of everything kind of falling apart, and then, you know, you have to kind of bolster yourself back up and try to stay positive.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, congenital myasthenic syndrome is a group of conditions where physical activity leads to muscle weakness, and happens when your nerve and muscle cells don’t communicate as expected; though treatment is available, there’s no cure for the genetic condition.

Steven, in his post on X revealing his diagnosis, which he called an “open letter” to “Friends, Relations, Fans, Fellow Actors, Casting Professionals, Directors, Producers,” among others, said that he had spent “years being cautious, private, and quiet about something that has been shaping my life and my work,” but that that “time is over.”

“It turns out I have a rather rare genetic neuromuscular disorder,” he went on, noting: “Not to be confused with the more common autoimmune disease, Myasthenia Gravis that you have probably heard of… your uncle’s friend has that one, I think.”

“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. Time to stop,” Steven further shared, before explaining: “CMS is a genetic disease that disrupts the communication between the brain and the muscle at the ‘nerve/muscle junction’ … or whatever doctors call it.”

Steven then explained some of his symptoms and what he’s dealt with as a result of the CMS, like his hands, arms and legs tiring quicker, some sustained movements causing his muscles to shut down, and often having to rely on a powered wheelchair.

“I am what is referred to as an ambulatory wheelchair user.

I ambulate some, then I sit, I ‘wheelchair’ about, ambulate, sit, and then, you know, ambulate,” he said.

“Professionally, this is changing me as an actor. Much like walking my dog around the block, or helping at the store, I can still perform on my feet, limitedly,” he admitted, but maintained: “But now I am here — done hiding — with a clear understanding of my disease, wheels firmly beneath me, ready for the next chapter in my life and career.”

“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 concluded.