Jenny Slatten, a star on TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way,” has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, she and her husband, Sumit Singh, revealed Tuesday “with a heavy heart” on social media and in a high-profile interview.
“[T]here was a rumor that I had a stroke, but it turned out to be ALS,” Slatten wrote on Instagram. “At first, we tried to keep it private because it’s been very emotional and overwhelming for us. We were hoping to find some kind of solution before speaking publicly. But after trying for some time, we feel like it’s time to reach out.”
She said they are now “open to any kind of help — treatments, clinical trials, lifestyle changes, or anything that could help treat this disease or slow down its progression.”
ALS, a progressive and terminal motor neuron disease, robs a person of the ability to move and, ultimately, to breathe, according to the Mayo Clinic. There is no cure for the condition, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It “often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing, or slurred speech,” the clinic said.
Slatten told People that her father died from ALS more than a decade ago, something she hadn’t thought about until after a commenter on social media suggested that might be the cause of her symptoms. Her first symptom was choking “badly” on some water in December 2024, then she had migraines and problems swallowing pills. Eventually they sought help from medical specialists.
The 68-year-old and Singh, 38, plan to stay in India despite her diagnosis. “I don’t want to be treated any different,” Slatten told the outlet. “Let’s just live our life as we have been while we can.”
In December on the show, Decider reported, Slatten and Singh were celebrating the success of their new cafe — which has since shut down — after moving in with his parents, his brother and sister-in-law and their child. “I don’t really like it too much,” Slatten told the outlet, though she said her relationship with her mother-in-law has improved. Sadna Singh at first didn’t approve of her son’s relationship with a woman 30 years his senior, but has since come around. “We clash a little bit, but Sadna and I are fine,” Slatten said.
“90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way” follows Americans as they uproot their lives to go to another country in search of love. With a certain visa, people must swear to their intent to marry within 90 days of arrival on foreign shores. If they don’t wed, they have to head home. In Slatten’s case, Singh had been catfishing her via a fake Facebook profile, friending her in 2013, but he ultimately came clean about his identity. They tied the knot in 2019, without telling his family, in a private ceremony that was shown in the show’s Season 3 finale.
The show’s Season 7 finale aired in February.
“I love you mom I’m so proud of you. It’s been really hard to keep in and not say anything,” daughter Christina Marie Cuevas told Slatten in a comment on social media. “ I’ve never been so sad but I will never let the sadness take over because we have to have hope. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Mom and sumit I love you both so very much.”
Cuevas visited her mom and Singh in India two months ago because of the ALS diagnosis, she said in a separate video, noting that she has a “very overwhelming sense” at the moment of wanting to be with her mom. She and her wife, Jen, will be visiting India again soon, she said.
“We’ll keep you guys posted.”
“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria” actor Eric Dane died of ALS in February after going public with his diagnosis last August. Actor A. Russell Andrews of “Insecure” and “Better Call Saul” shared his ALS status last Saturday.
While all cases are different, the Mayo Clinic says, most patients live three to five years after experiencing their first symptoms, though some make it a decade or longer.
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