TV star and Wrexham soccer club owner Rob McElhenney has taken to social media to reveal his shock diagnosis aged 46, and he’s rather emotional about it.
McElhenney – who is best known for starring opposite Danny DeVito in It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia – made the brave decision to come forward with his neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis earlier this week.
Taking to Twitter, the actor wrote: “I was recently diagnosed with a host of neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities! At 46! I go through the full diagnosis/prognosis on the [The Sunny Podcast] (which drops in 2 weeks).”
He continued: “It’s not something I would normally talk about publicly but I figured there are others who struggle with similar things and I wanted to remind you that you’re not alone.”
McElhenney then issued a message to others suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders, adding: “You’re not stupid. You’re not ‘bad’. It might feel that way sometimes. But it’s not true :).”
So far, the tweet has been seen over 3.7 million times, and received almost 40,000 likes, with hundreds of netizens offering their support for the star.
One person replied to the tweet with their own story, writing: “Appreciate you strength to be open. My son has autism, daughter adhd and in the past I used alcohol to come to terms with my own issues instead of seeking the proper help. I’m 5 years sober now and at 38 I am starting the process to find out what makes me tick as well.”
Another user added: “Dude…your burdens are your blessings. Genius always comes with a bit of madness, there is no other way! Don’t let them numb you up to the point that you’ll be robbed of your gifts.”
“Amazing that you can share this with your fans and will inspire others to get tested that are in the same position,” a further Twitter user shared.
McElhenney – along with fellow Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds – have been the subject of a docuseries that saw the pair purchase a Welsh soccer team, Wrexham, and try to bring them to the Premiere League.
The duo bought the club in February 2021, with Wrexham eventually making it to League Two. The Mirror detailed how the humble Welsh club worked their way up to becoming current favourites to win League Two.
As for McElhenney’s diagnosis, it’s safe to say that he’s serving as an inspiration to others experiencing the same disorder.
