Freeman, the calming but authoritative voice of God—he portrayed the heavenly entity in the films Bruce Almighty (2003) and Evan Almighty (2007)—has lifelong bodily damage following a single-vehicle collision near his Mississippi home.
The tragedy occurred in 2008, the same year he appeared as Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight, the second episode in The Dark Knight Trilogy.
According to accounts, rescue personnel used the jaws of life to extract him and his passenger from their crushed-up Nissan Maxima, which had rolled numerous times. After being airlifted to the hospital and spending four hours in surgery to repair a fractured left shoulder, arm, and elbow—a treatment that was supposed to allow for a complete recovery—the adored actor was left with long-term damage, as he disclosed in a 2010 interview.
He had nerve damage that hasn’t improved and he can’t move it, Freeman said of his left hand, explaining why he’s typically seen wearing a compression glove to keep the blood flowing. If one does not move one hand, it will swell up, he continued. Do one realise one move ones hand a million times every day?
Freeman presented an award alongside Margot Robbie at the 2023 Oscars and walked on stage wearing a black tuxedo with a matching elbow-length, satin compression glove.
It’s a wardrobe essential for him to help manage the agony of Fibromyalgia, a disorder that causes widespread pain and exhaustion.
Fibromyalgia is defined by the National Institute of Health as chronic, widespread pain across the body or in many places. Arms, legs, head, chest, belly, back, and buttocks are often affected by pain. Individuals often describe it as hurting, burning, or throbbing. Other typical symptoms of fibromyalgia, which was formerly thought to be psychosomatic but is now defined as a clinical diagnosis by the American Medical Association, include exhaustion, numbness, headaches, and difficulty sleeping.
While there is no cure, it may be controlled by a mix of exercise or other movement treatments, psychiatric and behavioral therapy, and pharmaceuticals.
Freeman discussed his struggles with the chronic condition in a 2012 interview.
Tom Chiarella, the story’s author, writes, every so often he grips his left shoulder and winces. It aches when he walks, sits motionless, gets up from his sofa, and trips in a puddled meadow. That hurts more than it helps. He adds that it is a clamp, his pain, an icy shot up a relatively useless limb. He doesn’t want to show it, but there are moments when he can’t help but crack a world-ending scowl. It’s such a huge move, so out of character for the guy, that it seems like he’s playing.
Recognizing Chiarella’s awareness of his efforts to conceal his discomfort and agony, Freeman said, it’s the fibromyalgia. The arm goes up and down. That’s where things go very awful. Excruciating.
Several things Freeman was obliged to give up, such as flying his aircraft or sailing alone.
The actor has not allowed his illness prohibit him from performing. Following his accident, he’s appeared in films such as Red (2010), Oblivion (2013), Now You See Me (2013), and The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021).
Many people think that Freeman is one of the best actors of all time because he can play so many different roles. He’s known for memorable performances that have earned him numerous Academy nominations, including Street Smart (1987), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), for which he won a Golden Globe, Shawshank Redemption (1994), Invictus (2009), and Million Dollar Baby (2004), for which he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He also appeared in the films Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Unforgiven (1992), Amistad (1997), and Gone Baby Gone (2007).
Freeman has contributed his voice to documentaries such as Long Way Home (1997), March of the Penguins (2005), The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (2016–2019), and Our Universe (2022).
Freeman is still doing well; his next features include Gunner, A Good Guy, and The Ritual Killer, in which his co-star, Yellowstone’s Cole Hauser, praises Freeman. He was incredible. He was an amazing, guy. He’s an actor who also serves as a set instructor. Throughout the scenes that we were in together, he was offering him so many pointers and reminders. That was amazing.
The tough actor is not the only star who suffers from the illness.
Lady GaGa, the multi-talented singer, said in 2017 that she, too, suffers from acute aches caused by the condition. She gets so upset with people who don’t think fibromyalgia is genuine, she stated in an interview, alluding to fibromyalgia skeptics. People should be more empathetic. Persistent pain is no laughing matter. And you wake up every day not knowing how you’re going to feel.
Also on the list are actress and comedian Janeane Garofalo (Reality Bites in 1994 and Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion in 1997), Irish singer Sinead O’Connor (“Nothing Compares to You” in 1990), actor Susan Flannery (The Bold and the Beautiful), and singer-songwriter Rosie Hamlin (“Angel Baby” in 1961), who died in 2017 but was open about her fight with cancer.
It’s difficult to picture a world without Freeman and his calming voice, which can make even the most boring topic seem engaging. Tell us what you think of Freeman and how he’s dealing with this invisible illness!
Let us send healing thoughts to Freeman and all others who are bravely suffering from fibromyalgia.
