In 2017, August Alsina shared he had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that affects his liver, a condition that runs in his family, Billboard reported. “I have a liver disease where my autoimmune system is fighting against itself. Reality is I’m sick all the time,” According to the report, he spoke in a video. In another clip, he explained that his father and his grandfather died from “severe illness,” but pledged to fight with all his might just like they had, Billboard noted.
Alsina lost his ability to walk completely in 2019 and was admitted to hospital. In a series of video clips posted on Instagram (via Fox News), Alsina shared that, this time around, the condition affected his nervous system, leaving him paralyzed. “So, here’s the stitch: I woke up one day and wasn’t able to walk. I couldn’t feel my legs and my doctor ended up admitting me into the hospital … It’s like my immune system went on vacation,” he said, panning the camera to show his walker, calling it his “new car.”
In aclip of a five-part documentary about his struggles, Alsina explained that the condition prevents his liver from doing its job, which is to filter out toxins. This means that toxins can easily travel through his system to reach his brain and cause confusion and memory loss. Alsina said that it was hard to talk about his illness, as he initially saw the disease as a symptom of an underlying condition. “weakness.”