At birth, Ashton weighed 10.5 pounds and Michael, a surprise arrival five minutes later to parents who thought they were expecting a son, weighed 4 pounds. “I tell people he must have ate everything while we were in the womb,” Michael, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 3 and received a heart transplant at 13, told the Associated Press in 2012.
But the activist and father of three eventually forgave Ashton—for his big appetite and for spilling the beans about Michael’s condition years ago in an interview.
“I was very angry. Very angry. I remember speaking to him about it,” Michael told TODAY Parents in May. “I didn’t want to be the face of CP. I never talked about it.” Ultimately, however, he realized that “Chris [Ashton’s actual first name] did me the biggest favor he’s ever done because he allowed me to be myself.”
The That ’70s Show star told TODAY Parents, “My brother’s daily actions remind me that life isn’t about running around challenges—it’s about running through them. Mike has a relentless work ethic and a deep compassion for others.”