“‘Bloodlines’ is my untold story of survival, documenting my near decade-long struggle with a mysterious illness. My search for answers took me from death’s door, around the globe, and back through time in the hopes of understanding why I suffered and to find the strength to continue on,” said actor Joe Manganiello.
He shared the message while announcing his deeply personal memoir, “Bloodlines: A Memoir”.
Known to millions as one of Hollywood’s fittest stars, Manganiello is pulling back the curtain on a health battle that he kept private for years.
Instead of a traditional celebrity memoir, “Bloodlines” explores survival, family history and the long road to healing.
The actor reveals that he spent seven years battling a series of autoimmune-related illnesses that attacked multiple parts of his body, including his skin, thyroid, eyes, lungs and digestive system.
At the height of his acting career and during his marriage to Sofía Vergara, Manganiello said that his health suddenly began to deteriorate. Despite seeking help from leading specialists, doctors struggled to identify the cause of his condition.
To manage the flare-ups, he was prescribed powerful biological medications. According to Manganiello, the treatment only made matters worse.
“It was the most brutally difficult time of my life, one I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but also my greatest adventure,” he said.
His illness left him living with chronic pain and severe weakness. There were periods when he was heavily medicated and unable to stand or walk without assistance.
As his condition worsened, Manganiello underwent multiple major surgeries. One of those procedures involved a life-saving organ amputation. He has not publicly disclosed which organ was removed.
After years without clear answers, Manganiello said that he decided to look beyond conventional medicine.
His search for healing led him around the world, where he explored spiritual practices, ancient myths, pagan rituals and guidance from shamans in an effort to understand both his illness and his recovery.
That journey also inspired him to investigate his own family history.
In “Bloodlines”, Manganiello traces his ancestry to his great-grandmother Terviz Darakjian, a survivor of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. He explores how generations of trauma may have shaped his own physical and emotional struggles and how understanding his family’s past became part of his healing process.
Rather than presenting a story focused only on illness, the memoir follows Manganiello’s search for meaning through the connection of mind, body and spirit.
“Bloodlines: A Memoir” is scheduled for release on October 13.
Through its pages, Manganiello hopes that readers will discover a story that goes far beyond Hollywood fame and offers a personal account of resilience, family and finding hope in the face of unimaginable challenges.
