Buffy the Vampire Slayer Actor Suffering Paralysis After Stint In Jail
Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Nicholas Brendon is suffering from paralysis in his genitals and legs after a recent stint in jail. Brendon played the wisecracking best friend Xander Harris on Buffy, starring in all but one episode of the seminal series. He’s also had recurring roles on shows like Criminal Minds and Private Practice, in addition to appearing in movies such as Unholy and Coherence. However, over the past decade, the actor’s professional career has at times been overshadowed by his public struggles with alcoholism, which has led to several arrests and convictions.
Brendon was arrested in Indiana on August 18 for allegedly using false information to obtain prescription drugs. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly failing to properly identify himself when he was pulled over by police, as he had handed officers a California ID with the name Kelton Schultz. Brendon told police that this was the ID of his twin brother, Kelly Donovan, who has the family name of Schultz.
Brendon now suffers from “deep-seated medical issues” as a result of the time he spent in jail, according to the actor’s manager Theresa Fortier. Fortier told The Daily Mail that Brendon is in “immense pain”, as a result of sleeping on the cement floor of his jail cell. This has aggravated pre-existing back problems, Fortier says, and he’s since experienced paralysis of his genitals and legs. Because of this, Brendon has pulled out of all promotional appearances for his new movie Wanton Want.
Brendon’s condition is known as Cauda equina syndrome, which affects the nerve roots in the lumbar spine and causes them to become compressed. It also can limit the movement and, at times, the functions in the genitals, bladder, and bowel. Fortier went on to note that officers weren’t careful with Brendon’s condition during the arrest, which aggravated previous injuries that only worsened after having to sleep on a cement floor. She added that Brendon is currently focusing on his health and that he may need to undergo another spinal surgery to correct what happened to him.
Brendon has been open about his arrests and his battles with alcoholism and depression. After walking out of a Dr. Phil interview in August 2015, Brendon returned to the program in December of that year for a candid discussion. The actor spoke about his mental health issues and said that he’d made several suicide attempts. Sadly, since then, Brendon has faced setbacks and other arrests prior to the latest incident in Indiana. Hopefully, Brendon will be able to physically recover from the pain he’s suffering from and find the support that he needs.
Source: The Daily Mail