9-1-1’s Ryan Guzman courageously shared his experiences with mental illness, including a prior attempt at suicide, and he encouraged men to get treatment.
During an interview on the “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast, Guzman—who is well-known for his roles in the Step Up franchise and the FOX drama—disclosed the attempt.
“I attempted suicide once,” Guzman admitted, characterizing the incident as a “mental health crisis” that occurred years ago.
The actor acknowledged that his perspective was shaped by a second opportunity and the suicide death of his co-star and buddy tWitch in 2022.
Speaking candidly, Guzman also discussed the death of his buddy and co-star of “Step Up,” tWitch, who allegedly committed himself in 2022. He claimed that these experiences “have allowed [him] to have a deeper sense of mercy and empathy towards every individual.”
He revealed that, in honor of tWitch, he recently uploaded a dancing video to Instagram, conquering a phobia he had carried since Step Up.
“I’ve been so afraid to dance since Step Up,” he wrote in the caption. I was held to a dance standard I couldn’t meet while playing a professional dancer in a movie out of fear of being evaluated on the basis of principle.
He went on, “I was reminded to get out of my head and dance for fun by Twitches voice in my head. Make fun of oneself. Act foolish. Fumble it. Above all, show vulnerability and let the music move you.
“To honor you, Twitch, I let go of my fear and danced for the first time in a long time.”
Guzman hopes his story encourages others, especially males, to get help. His character on 9-1-1 also suffers from severe PTSD from his stint as an army doctor.
He defied the notion of “toxic masculinity” on the show by offering the advice, “Lean on your brother.”
Guzman saw his lowest period in the past as a turning point in his life. He said to DiDario, “From that point on, I’ve viewed every step as a chance to forget what brought me there and build on what allowed me to live for.”
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