Remember This Boyz II Men Singer? He Has Been Battling Multiple Sclerosis for More than 15 Years

Former Boyz II Men member Michael McCary has been battling multiple sclerosis for over 15 years. The condition led him to leave the group in 2003, and he descended into a depressive state.

Michael McCary had the world at his feet at the age of 22, and there was nowhere to go but up. He was part of the hit R&B quartet Boyz II Men and was looking forward to a long and successful music career when his world fell apart.

Boyz II Men first rose to fame in1991 with their Grammy award-winning debut album "Cooleyhighharmony," which sold over nine million copies. The following year, their single "End of the Road" broke a record for most weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

MCCARY'S BOYZ II MEN EXIT

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, McCary started suffering from back pain and spasms but ultimately dismissed them. As his symptoms worsened, doctors ordered tests and delivered the dreaded diagnosis: he was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

The 22-year-old was devastated and quit the group in 2003, keeping his condition a secret from the public. It was years later when his real condition came to light.

HIS REVELATION

In 2016, McCary opened up about having multiple sclerosis in a tell-all interview on "Iyanla: Fix My Life." He explained:

“They were saying that I have a nerve around the sciatica that was locked in place, that could sever if I stepped wrong, it’s a possibility that you could be paralyzed.”

WHAT IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?

Multiple sclerosis, known as "MS," is a progressive and often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and those who have it often lose muscle control, vision, balance, and sensation.

Devastated with his condition, McCary withdrew from the group without divulging the severity of his condition and isolated himself, plunging into depression.

MCCARY AND THE GROUP

After McCary's exit from the group, his co-members, Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman, continued performing as a trio up until today. Unfortunately, after his exit, they cut ties with him.

The rest of the band who believed he had treatable scoliosis rather than MS were baffled by his decision and pulled away. During his interview, McCary revealed that he is resentful of how things ended.

HIS TIES WITH BOYZ II MEN

When asked to sum up his relationship with Boyz II Men, he said "betrayal." He and the rest of the group no longer speak, and chances of a reunion among them are slim.

In fact, McCary is not mentioned on the group's website, where they talk about their two decades of accomplishments. The former member had a part to play in their hit songs "End of the Road" and "I'll Make Love to You."

BAD RELATIONSHIPS

It's not just McCary who has a lot to say about his former Boyz II Men members. "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kandi Burruss recently shared that she had a bad experience while collaborating with the boyband.

Before becoming a reality TV star, she was once a member of the R&B band Xscape. When she was asked who the most difficult person or group she had to work with was, she revealed it was Boyz II Men.

She ended up saying that she had never experienced disrespect in a studio until that point. Despite being friends prior to the whole ordeal, they drifted apart after the session.