Aaron Lazar's Family Turns to GoFundMe as ALS Costs Top $300K a Year for Actor Who Has Lost Use of Arms, Hands and Legs
Aaron Lazar's Family Turns to GoFundMe as ALS Costs Top $300K a Year for Actor Who Has Lost Use of Arms, Hands and Legs
Dave QuinnTue, June 30, 2026 at 10:45 AM UTC
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Aaron Lazar and his two sons, Julian, 16, and Adrian, 14Credit: gofundme -
Aaron Lazar's ALS diagnosis has left him reliant on a BiPAP machine and a full-time caregiver
A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $250,000 to help cover his $300,000 annual medical and caregiving costs
Lazar remains focused on gratitude and cherishing moments with his teenage sons despite the disease's progression
Aaron Lazar's family is sharing a sobering update on the Broadway star's health as he continues his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
According to a newly launched GoFundMe campaign, Lazar has lost the use of his legs, arms and hands due to the incurable progressive neurological disorder. He now requires a BiPAP machine to breathe, as well as a full-time caregiver to assist him throughout the day and night.
The fundraiser states that the costs of caregiving, medical equipment and specialized therapies have climbed to more than $300,000 annually.
"Aaron's ability to generate income for his family is severely limited," the campaign reads. "He needs help to stay in the fight."
In response, Lazar's loved ones are hoping to raise $500,000 to pay for his 24-hour caregiving and treatment. The money will also be used to offer stability for his two teenage sons, Julian, 16, and Adrian, 14, whom he shares with ex-wife LeAnn.
Thanks to the support of stars like Andrew Rannells and Steve Kazee, the campaign has already garnered more than $250,000 in donations.
Aaron LazarCredit: gofundme
The update comes as Lazar celebrated his 50th birthday on June 21. Marking the milestone on Instagram, the actor shared videos of friends honoring him with renditions of "Happy Birthday," including Josh Groban leading a singalong at Madison Square Garden and pals Norm Lewis and Michael Minarik doing the same at 54 Below.
"I'm 50 and more grateful than ever for my amazing friends," Lazar wrote.
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Lazar — known for his work on Broadway productions including The Light in the Piazza, A Little Night Music, The Last Ship and Dear Evan Hansen — has spent the last several years facing ALS with optimism, faith and determination after receiving his diagnosis with slow-moving ALS in January 2022, six months after he started experiencing symptoms.
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The illness causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to die, leading to a degeneration of muscle control. Over time, people with ALS can lose the ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe on their own.
Aaron Lazar in October 2017Credit: Tommaso Boddi/WireImage
Speaking to PEOPLE in April 2024, months after going public with his health battle, Lazar opened up about the difficult road to his diagnosis and the mindset that helped him move forward after receiving the life-altering news.
"Once the diagnosis came, I made the decision: 'I'm not living whatever life I have left afraid,'" said Lazar, who lives in Los Angeles with his fiancée, Nawal Bengholam.
Rather than viewing ALS as an opponent to defeat, Lazar explained that he chose to focus on healing emotionally, spiritually and physically.
"Don't get me wrong; I'm passionately fighting for my life, I'm just not fighting the disease," he said. "I've learned to surrender to ALS in a way that lets me appreciate the moments between life's peaks and valleys. Because I don't want to miss them."
Despite the physical progression of the disease, Lazar admitted that he's remaining focused on gratitude and living in the present. "None of us know how much life we got left. We don't know how many of those moments we have left — and I don't want to miss those moments," he said.
While acknowledging the toll ALS has taken on his body, Lazar noted the condition had transformed his perspective on life.
"This disease has been a real opportunity to change things about myself," he said. "And while the physical progression of ALS is terrible, I'm healthier and happier than I've ever been."
"In the nightmare of ALS," he added, "I've learned to dream again."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
