Ashton Kutcher's Brother Michael Felt 'Angry' At Him After He Made His Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis Public

Apr 26, 2022 by apost team

Family is the most important thing in many people's lives, and this goes for a lot of celebrities as well. A lot of Holywood actors have had a hard start in their lives and have relied on their families to help them through the tough times. It may be surprising to many fans to know about what some celebs have been through. The story of Ashton Kutcher's fraternal twin brother, Michael, is one that people may not know about, but it showcases Ashton's incredible love for his brother when he was young. 

Ashton is currently one of the more famous celebs currently, and though he has somewhat stepped away from the silver screen to give more attention to his family, he is still a major figure in the entertainment industry. Ashton was born in Iowa along with his fraternal twin brother Michael. Ashton would later attend the University of Iowa and study Biochemical engineering before getting his start in the entertainment industry.

Ashton is known for his roles in films such as “Dude, Where's My Car?” in 2000, “The Butterfly Effect” in 2004 and for portraying Steve Jobs in the 2013 biographical film “Jobs.” His role in the iconic show, "That 70s Show" would become life-changing in many ways; though he did not know it at the time of filming, he met his future wife Mila Kunis, who was also on the show. 

Growing up, Ashton had a close relationship with his brother, but Michael faced health issues that affected the family profoundly. Read on to learn more about Michael's health and Ashton's relationship with him. 

YourCPF.org reported that Michael faced challenges and overcame obstacles as soon as he was born. He was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as the unexpected twin brother of actor Christopher “Ashton” Kutcher, and he was notably smaller than his twin and weighed less than five pounds. After coming into the world, Michael was hardly responsive and struggled to take his first breath. Thankfully, he pulled through and showed how much strength he has. 

Michael went on to face immense health issues and difficulties as he got older. By the time he was three, Michael was facing significant developmental delays. Just before he was to enter kindergarten, he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

The health issues did not dissipate as he got older. Us Weekly reported that Michael was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy when he was 13 years old, and his heart grew to be four times the size of a normal one. Unfortunately, he was told he had three to four weeks to live and he went into cardiac arrest soon after his diagnosis. During that time, his life expectancy was shortened to 48 hours.

For any family, this is difficult to have to go through, but for Ashton, it was likely even more painful to see his twin brother go through life-threatening health issues. Ashton even said he wished he could donate his own heart to help Michael survive. Thankfully, however, Michael was able to receive a heart transplant last minute and survived. 

This experience brought Ashton and Micahel closer, but the brothers had always had a close relationship. 

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Growing up, Michael told TODAY he was teased a lot for his disability but Ashton was always there for his brother. He recalled an experience with bullies, "My brother picked a fight with them. He stood up for me. He wanted them to treat me with respect," and added. "And that meant a lot."

Michael also revealed that Ashton would not attend sleepovers if his brother couldn't join him. "Most of the time they’d say yes, but sometimes they’d say no and Chris [referring to Ashton's first name] would go, 'Well, then I’m not coming,'" Michael said. "Chris would tell me, 'I wish I could take all of this off of you — and take it myself.'"

Speaking about Ashton's love and generosity for him over the years, Michael said, "It’s just … I can’t find the words," and added, "It’s a connection that you can’t explain. In all seriousness, we’re just very connected … It’s an honor or deep appreciation and a deep love for someone who would sacrifice that for you. I really can’t put words to it."

However, Ashton's love for his brother was not always coming from a place of positivity all the time.

Michael told his brother, "I said, 'Every time you look at me, every time you feel sorry for me, in a way, you make me less. You make me less.'"

He also explained, "I am who I am, right? I was put in these situations. Who I am is for a reason. I strongly feel that a major part of that reason is to be an advocate and be outspoken and use the platform that I am to advocate for disability, to advocate for organ donation, and I feel I’ve found my purpose in that."

However, Michael was not happy with Ashton when he made his cerebral palsy diagnosis public in 2003. Insider reported Ashton opened up about his brother in an interview on national TV interview despite Michael trying to hide his condition for so many years. 

"I was very angry. Very angry. I remember speaking to him about it," Michael recalled. "I didn't want to be the face of CP. I never talked about it." However, this would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. 

Michael then said, "Chris did me the biggest favor he's ever done because he allowed me to be myself." He said during the interview that he received a call after Ashton's interview from a woman who asked if he would speak about his life with cerebral palsy at a gala. While Michael said he was hesitant at first, he then began to warm up to the idea after he and the woman met over a cup of coffee. 

"She had her 5-year-old daughter with her. A sweet little girl named Bella with a smile so bright and big." Meeting Bella would become the catalyst for Michael to make a change in how he viewed himself and his impact. 

"I realized I needed to let go of the shame I felt and be a champion for people like Bella," he said. "I was finally ready to tell my story and I knew because of my twin, I'd have a big reach." Michale continues to be involved with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

Ashton also credits his brother for helping him become a better person and praises him for all the work he is doing. "My brother's daily actions remind me that life isn't about running around challenges — it's about running through them," Ashton said. 

What do you think of Ashton and Michael's story? Do you know anyone that you love so much, you would sacrifice your heart for them if needed? Pass this heartwarming story on to your friends and loved ones - let's spread love to those we care about.