Jason Ritter recently shared how a commitment to tracking his family’s medical history ultimately led to an unexpected diagnosis of his own.
In 2003, the actor’s dad, comedy legend John Ritter, passed away at just 54 years old from an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the body’s main artery. This sudden loss motivated Jason and his siblings to undergo annual preventive scans to proactively monitor their cardiovascular health.
During one of those routine checkups two years ago, Jason received health news he never saw coming.
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A Diagnosis That Hit Without Warning
“Two years ago, out of nowhere, I was told I had type 1 diabetes,” Jason told People at The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health’s Evening from the Heart LA gala on Sept. 12.
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a serious chronic condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Although it’s commonly diagnosed in children and young adults, it can develop at any age and often catches families by surprise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies T1D as an “emergency diagnosis.” Most people have no idea they have it until severe, life-threatening complications, like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), suddenly appear.
T1D is an autoimmune disease with no cure, and living with it requires a strict, lifelong commitment to continuous medical management. “Now have an insulin pump, and I’m trying to eat the right stuff, and watch my sugar and [track] my carbs and all that stuff,” Jason continued.
Honoring His Father’s Legacy
If it weren’t for his father’s tragic passing and the subsequent health pact Jason made with his siblings, he might not have caught the disease when he did. Those routine cardiovascular checkups saved him from a potential emergency by flagging the issue early.
“I wish it didn’t take something like that to really get me to tighten up, but now I’m really grateful for the opportunity to try to be more vigilant,” Jason admitted to People.
Now, managing his health is just part of being a dad to his 7-year-old daughter, whom he shares with his wife, Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey. “Everything changes when you have a daughter or a child. I see her, and I just want to be around for as long as I possibly can,” he added.
