Teri Garr’s Transformation over the Years after She Got MS Diagnosis & Survived Aneurysm

Teri Garr is a celebrity who eventually relied on a wheelchair to get around in her later years due to a diagnosis she managed until her passing. Among the loved ones she left behind is her only child, who grew up aware of her mother’s illness.

• On October 29, 2024, Teri Garr’s manager, Marc Gurvitz, announced that the actress had died in Los Angeles. Her passing followed years of living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Here’s a look at her career background and life with MS.

  

                             Living with MS 

  The Oscar-nominated star, born on December 11, 1944, was known for her roles in films like 1974’s “Young Frankenstein,” 1977’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” 1982’s “Tootsie,” 1983’s “Mr. Mom,” and others.

  Rumors about her having MS started circulating in the late 1990s, though she was officially diagnosed in 1999. It was then she noticed that many in Hollywood hesitated to meet with her about potential acting roles.

  

  Despite her illness, she continued working, though her interviews began to diminish, eventually becoming rare and then nonexistent. In one interview, Teri revealed that people often imagined that a “disabled” person couldn’t walk, talk, or perform everyday tasks.

  Her outlook on being disabled eventually changed, with her saying, “Now, I take nothing for granted. But I find the real disability is people who can’t find joy in life and are bitter.” The star, who was 79 when she passed, was candid about her MS diagnosis and went public with it during a 2002 CNN interview.

  

  In 2004, she appeared on “Larry King Live” to discuss her condition, explaining that she coped by adjusting her focus. When faced with something she couldn’t do, she instead concentrated on what she could do.

  She lived by the phrase, “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” Teri explained that constantly feeling sad wasn’t an option for her. Even before her diagnosis, the actress, who loved dancing but could no longer do it, would rationalize and remind herself of what she could and couldn’t do.

  

  She inherited her resilient outlook from her mother and often leaned on humor. She recalled one incident at the airport where a man assisting her with a bag noticed she looked injured. When he asked if she’d been in a skiing accident, she disclosed her diagnosis.

  The mood shifted, and she realized sharing her diagnosis often saddened and hurt people more than it did her, prompting her to use humor instead. Speaking about her early MS symptoms, she shared that she would sometimes feel a ticking or beeping sensation in her foot while lying in bed.

  

  The sensation would eventually subside, making the disease challenging to diagnose. She also admitted that her symptoms were subtle and varied for everyone. One person who saw her struggles firsthand was her daughter, Molly.

  When Molly was 11, Teri tried to help her cope with the diagnosis by dedicating “top-notch time, [and] my best energy, for her.” Growing up seeing her mother battle the disease, Molly knew she had good and bad days.

  

  Teri began showing more symptoms when her daughter was eight, which helped Molly gradually adapt to it as it progressed. The actress believed her illness was a valuable lesson for her daughter, saying, “She really appreciates life, and she’s really kind to people. She’s very compassionate.”

  Her child didn’t treat her differently, noting that Teri wasn’t a regular mother but “a Supermom.” In a 2017 interview, the actress clarified that MS wasn’t hereditary but a random occurrence that affects both men and women equally. She also said, “It’s a terrible thing. MS is awful.”

  

  Over the years, Teri’s transformation was evident, eventually leading to her using a wheelchair for mobility. Here’s a look at her appearances from the 1970s until her passing.

           1970s 

  

  

   

  One significant event for Teri in the 2000s was a near-fatal brain aneurysm. After surviving the aneurysm in December 2006, she went on to star in the movie “Expired.” In the following decade, she began making public appearances in a wheelchair.

  2010s

  

  Despite the physical changes she endured, fans who heard about Teri’s death and saw a photo of her on Facebook were quick to admire her looks and share condolences. One person wrote, “A talented and beautiful actress. Young Frankenstein role was epic. RIP. [sic]”